Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2016  with  funding  from 
Getty  Research  Institute 


https://archive.org/details/artistschromaticOOridn_0 


ilrtist's  Cjirnmntk  Jknii-Snnk. 


r 


mF 


Irfef 0 Cjiromatif  limii-®Dnk. 


BEING  A 


PRACTICAL  TREATISE  ON  PIGMENTS : 


THEIR  PROPERTIES  AND  USES  IN  PAINTING. 


TO  WHICH  IS  ADDED, 

A FEW  REMARKS  ON  VEHICLES  AND  VARNISHES. 

CHIEFLY  A COMPILATION  FROM  THE  BEST  AUTHORITIES. 


HJif  Snlm  liintr. 


NEW  YORK: 

GEORGE  P.  PUTNAM,  155  BROADWAY. 

1850. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  rear  1830. 

Bt  GEORGE  P.  PUTXAM, 

In  the  District  Conn  of  the  United  States,  for  the  Somhem  District 
of  New  Tort. 


sT3sss;Trpa3  sr 
3:ZJS^  k B2CTHZ;B3, 

It?  scoars  -anr.- :i.ic-sTas3r,  jr.  r. 


3 O-  J2XXTXS. 

VASSA— -srass2. 


TO  THE  MEMBERS 


OP  THB 


Jltm-^nrlt  5lrt  Afniiinii, 


THIS  LITTLE  WORE 


IS  RESPECTFULLY  DEDICATED 


BY  THEIR  ASSOCIATE. 


THE  AUTHOR 


>-v  . 


It  has  been  said  that  one  of  the  strongest  evidences 
of  the  refinement  of  a nation,  is  to  be  found  in  the 
encouragement  that  the  Fine  Arts  receive  among  its 
people.  If  it  is  so — and  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt  it — 
this  country  must  have  made  unprecedented  advances  in 
a due  appreciation  of  the  aits  of  design  within  the  last 
few  years;  as  the  number  of  persons  now  interested  in 
them,  are  as  a thousand  to  one,  compared  'svith  those 
who  but  a short  period  before  gave  the  subject  a thought. 
So  generally  has  their  influence  extended  itself  through- 
out the  country,  that  there  is  now  scarcely  a literary 
institution  in  the  land,  that  does  not  make  some  de- 
partment of  them  a branch  of  education,  nor  a town 
or  village  that  cannot  boast  of  giving  employment  to 
some  professors  of  them.  Indeed  it  is  now  generally 
conceded,  that  their  cultivation  is  worthy  the  attention 


8 


PKEFACE. 


of  every  class  of  the  community;  as  they  undoubtedly  - 
tend  to  refine  the  intellect,  enlarge  the  powers,  improve 
the  morals,  and  generally  enhance  the  happiness  of 
mankind. 

The  increased  demand  for  information  pertaining  to 
art,  and  the  oft-repeated  desires  expressed  by  artists,  to 
know  more  about  the  properties  of  the  pigments  used 
by  them,  together  with  the  author’s  early  predilections 
for  experimental  chemistry,  and  his  fondness  for  the 
investigation  of  the  composition,  preparation,  and  uses 
of  colours,  adapted  for  painting,  will  in  a great  measure 
account  for  the  appearance  of  the  present  work ; and, 
humble  as  it  is,  if  carefully  read  and  its  precepts 
observed,  it  is  believed  that  it  will  aid  somewhat  in 
elevating  the  art  of  painting  in  this  country. 

Those  acquainted  with  paintings,  must  have  often 
witnessed  the  fatal  effects  of  the  want  of  such  knowl- 
edge as  is  here  inculcated,  in  the  premature  decay  of 
many  fine  pictures,  particularly  those  of  the  English 
school. 

Several  works  of  this  kind,  or  bearing  some  resem- 
blance to  it,  have  been  published  in  Europe ; but 
most  of  them  are  deficient  or  incomplete.  In  some, 
valuable  pigments  have  been  entirely  omitted ; others, 
inculcate  glaring  errors,  or  are  too  expensive  for  ex- 


PREFACE. 


tensive  circulation  ;*  and  others  are  encumbered  by 
useless  verbage  or  technicality,  rendering  the  knowledge 
they  contain  too  difficult  of  acquisition  for  the  tyro. 
All  these  have  been  carefully  consulted ; and,  with  the 
author’s  own  experience,  he  feels  confidence  in  assuring 
the  artist,  that  this  contains,  in  a condensed  form,  every 
thing  of  value  pertaining  to  the  subject  on  which  it 
treats.  The  aim  has  been  to  make  it  concise  and 
practical,  in  every  respect,  avoiding  aU  unnecessary 
technicalities, 

It  is  not  the  intention  to  give  a detail  of  the  various 
processes  by  which  the  numerous  chemical  colours  can 
be  produced,  (that  alone  would  occupy  as  much  space 
as  w'ill  be  allotted  for  the  whole  work,  and  prove  of 
very  little  profit  to  the  artist,)  as  all  of  them  can  now' 
be  procured,  of  reputable  manufacturers,  of  better  qual- 
ity, generally  speaking,  than  they  could  be  made  by  an 
inexperienced  hand,  yet  the  composition  of  nearly  all 
will  be  indicated  sufficiently  (for  those  who  are  familiar 
wdth  chemical  science)  to  judge  of  their  action  on  each 


* One  of  the  best  works  of  this  kind  is  Field’s  “ Chromatography 
a work  every  artist  ought  to  possess,  who  can  afford  the  expense, 
as  it  contains  many  hints  about  the  philosophy  and  harmony  of 
colours  that  will  be  found  interesting. 

1* 


10 


PREFACE. 


Other,  when  exposed  to  the  various  iufluences  to  which 
they  are  subject  in  painting. 

The  author  has  produced  and  tested  nearly  every 
chemical  colour  here  spoken  of;  yet  he  desires  it  to  be 
understood  that  he  has  not  depended  solely  on  his  own 
experience,  but  has  availed  himself  of  the  investigations 
of  the  best  authorities  of  Em*ope,  particularly  of  Field, 
than  whom  there  is  none  more  reliable. 

The  mode  of  classif\dng  the  colom-s  adopted  by  the 
distinguished  writer  just  named,  appearing  to  be  the 
best  and  most  natural,  the  same  arrangement  has  been 
followed  here ; and  wherever  else  the  same  author’s 
labom-s  could  be  made  subseiwient  to  the  object  in 
view — the  good  of  art  and  artists — I have  not  hesi- 
tated to  press  them  into  service. 

At  the  present  day  there  is  such  an  abundance  of 
pigments,  and  many  of  them  such  fine  ones  too,  it  is 
difficult  to  determine  exactly,  which  to  select  or  what 
to  reject — and  the  more  so,  as  some  of  them  are  much 
cheaper  than  they  formerly  were — but  it  will  be  the 
endeavour  to  give  the  true  character  and  quality  of  each, 
and  thus  enable  the  artist  to  judge  for  himself  what 
can  be  most  judiciously  employed  for  his  purposes,  and 
prevent  disappointment  in  the  result  of  his  labours. 
It  may  be  well  here  to  remark,  that  too  much  care 


PREFACE. 


11 


cannot  be  taken  in  purchasing  colours,  to  see  that  they 
are  what  they  are  represented  to  be,  as  frequent  dis- 
appointments occur  by  want  of  proper  attention  in  this 
respect,  as  colour-dealers  sometimes  (through  ignorance 
or  some  less  honourable  motive)  mislead  artists ; I 
have  known  cases  where  chrome  yellow  was  sold  for 
lemon  yellow ; cochineal,  or  other  fugitive  lakes,  for 
madder  lake;  cadmium  and  lemon  yellow,  for  platina 
yellow,  &c.,  &c.  I will  point  out  tests  by  which  such 
frauds  can  be  detected,  so  that  it  will  be  the  artist’s  own 
fault  if  he  does  not  expose  such  ignorance  or  knavery 
hereafter.  There  is  more  necessity  now  for  this  knowl- 
edge than  formerly,  as  artists  of  the  present  time 
are  almost  entirely  dependent  upon  the  colour-dealer, 
as  they  do  not  manufacture  their  own  pigments  as  the 
ancients  generally  did. 

The  tables  which  are  subjoined,  ^vill  be  found  ex- 
ceedingly convenient,  to  enable  the  student  to  ascertain 
at  a glance  the  most  useful  and  permanent  pigments ; 
but  for  a particular  description  of  the  qualities  of  each, 
reference  must  of  course  be  made  to  their  appropriate 
heads. 

As  it  does  not  form  a part  of  my  plan,  to  im- 
part any  knowledge  of  the  philosophy  of  relation,  ex- 
pression, or  harmony  of  colours,  those  who  are  seeking 


12 


PKEFACE. 


for  information  on  those  subjects,  are  referred  to  the 
works  of  Field,  Hay,  Goethe,  and  others. 

Colours  or  pigments*  being  liable  to  various  changes 
from  the  materials  employed  in  fixing  or  distributing 
them  upon  the  grounds  to  which  they  are  applied,  it  is 
almost  as  necessary  that  the  qualities  and  properties  of 
these  vehicles  should  be  as  well  known  as  the  pigments 
themselves ; they  will,  therefore,  claim  attention,  and 
form  a part  of  my  subject;  to  which  will  be  added,  a 
few  remarks  upon  varnishes  used  by  artists,  and  thus 
conclude  my  labours. 

Hoping  that  this  humble  production  may  meet  with 
the  warmest  welcome  fi’om  American  artists — the  class 
for  whom  it  is  especially  intended — it  is  respectfully 
commended  to  their  .kindest  consideration,  by  then* 
friend  and  servant, 

The  Author. 

New  York,  October,  1850. 


* These  two  terms  are  frequently  used  synonymously  throughout 
this  work,  as  will  probably  be  noticed,  though  it  may  not  be  con- 
sidered strictly  correct 

glass  of  borax  (vitrified  borax)  with  poppy  or  nut 


Slrtisfs  Cjirumatic  3®a^^I-lnDk. 


IBllitf. 

We  shall  begin  our  treatise  with  the  i^eutral — 
White.  This  when  in  its  most  perfect  state  is  with- 
out hue  with  respect  to  colour,  absolutely  opaque, 
and  reflecting  light  very  brilliantly;  these  two  last 
properties  combined,  is  what  is  called  body.  Indepen- 
dent of  its  uses  as  a colour,  (for  in  some  respects  it 
may  be  considered  one,)  it  mixes  with  all  others — 
of  course  diluting  them ; and  while  it  does  not  change 
the  class  of  any  colour,  it  is  itself  changed  by  every 
other. 

As  pigments  generally  do  not  possess  the  brilliancy 
of  pure  white,  it  is  necessary  to  break  down  or  lower 
the  tone  of  the  latter,  else  it  will  degrade  the  former, 

and  thus  create  harshness  or  rawness  in  a picture: 

2 


14 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


this  quality  in  white  has  given  rise  to  the  common 
opinion  that  all  pictures  should  be  painted  low-toned. 
Were  all  colours  of  the  same  purity  and  brilliancy, 
this  feeling  would  not  be  experienced,  and  colouring 
in  painting  could  be  carried  to  the  highest  key  of 
nature. 

The  term  colour  as  applied  to  the  neutrals,  as  be- 
fore implied,  is  incorrect,  yet  the  artist  is  forced  to 
regard  white  as  a colour,  and  philosophically  it  may 
be  considered  one,  inasmuch  as  it  is  formed  by  the 
combination  of  all  the  colours. 

White  is  more  extensively  used  than  any  other 
pigment,  and  as  it  is  the  representative  of  light,  it 
must  of  necessity  enter  largely  into  the  composition 
of  all  colours,  and  in  every  picture ; hence  the  import- 
ance of  having  good  pigments  of  this  kind  must  be 
evident  to  every  artist.  It  is  said  that  Titian  was  so 
well  convinced  of  this,  that  he  lamented,  most  pa- 
thetically, the  death  of  the  chemist  who  prepared  his 
white. 

It  is  supposed  by  some,  that  the  old  masters  pos- 
sessed whites  which  were  superior  to  those  employed 
by  the  artists  of  the  present  day;  this,  however,  is 
doubted  by  others,  who  attribute  the  pureness,  which 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


15 


is  observed  in  the  local  whites  in  some  of  the  old  pic- 
tures, to  more  careful  preparation,  a different  mode 
of  using  them,  or  possibly  to  the  addition  of  some 
cold  colour  to  the  white — such  as  plumbago,  com- 
monly called  black-lead. 

Pigments  of  this  class  are  quite  numerous,  yet  an 
unexceptionable  one  would  be  a great  desideratum 
even  at  this  age,^  when  the  science  of  chemistry  has 
unfolded  so  many  improvements  in  the  preparation 
of  others. 

The  white  earths  have  very  little  body,  generally ; 
and  the  greater  part  of  the  metallic  whites  which 
have  the  best  body,  are  not  permanent  in  water,  yet, 
with  proper  discrimination,  many  of  the  following 
will  be  found  pretty  well  adapted  for  most  purposes. 


LEAD  WHITES. 

(Carbonates  or  Oxides  of  Lead.) 

Under  this  head  is  comprehended  a numerous 
family;  known  under  the  various  names  of  Ceruse, 
London,  Nottingham,  Flake,  Crems  or  Cremnitz, 
Boman,  Venetian,  Vienna,  and  Silver  (Blanc  d’ Argent) 
Whites.  The  whitest  and  most  compact  are  consid- 


16 


CHROMATIC  HAXD-BOOK. 


ered  the  best.  In  brihiancY  and  body,  they  have 
heretofore  been  considered*  superior  to  all  others, 
and,  vhen  pure,  may  be  used  with  safety,  (unless 
exposed  to  damp  or  impui'e  air,)  and  dry  well*  with- 
out any  addition ; but  an  excess  of  oil  has  a tendency 
to  discolour  them,  forming  a pellicle  on  the  surface. 
In  water  they  are  inehgible,  as  they  soon  blacken: 
they  also  injure  all  vegetable  lakes,  (except  those  of 
madder,)  red  and  orange  leads,  patent  and  kings 
yellow,  massicot,  gamboge,  orpiment,  kc. ; but  these, 
it  will  be  borne  in  mind,  are  dangerous  pigments,  and 
should  never  be  used  by  the  artist. 

Ultramarine,  vermilion,  chrome  orange  and  yel- 
lows, madder  colours,  Indian  red,  sienna  earth,  and 
all  the  ochres,  may  be  combined  with  these  whites 
without  injury.  In  oil  painting,  white  lead  forms  an 
essential  part  in  the  ground,  in  dead  colouring,  in 
the  formation  of  tints  with  all  colours,  and  in  scum- 
bling— ^both  alone  and  vnth  other  pigments.  When 
neutralized  with  ultramarine,  black,  or  plumbago,  it 
forms  the  best  local  white;  and  may  be  considered 
a perfect  representative  of  hght  when  mixed  with 


* See  remarks  under  head  of  Zinc  "White. 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


17 


Naples  yellow,  orange  vermilion,  or  cadmium  yellow, 
in  proper  proportions  according  to  circumstances. 

All  colours  prepared  from  lead  should  be  avoided 
in  every  description  of  painting  in  water  colours,  as 
well  as  in  crayon  or  fresco;  neither  should  they  be 
used  with  any  pigment  having  an  inflammable  base 
or  liable  to  be  destroyed  by  fire,  for  with  such  they 
occasion  change  of  colour,  either  becoming  darker,  or 
inducing  those  with  which  they  are  mixed  to  fade. 

Natural  carbonate  of  lead  exists  in  nature,  but  not 
in  sufficient  quantity  to  make  it  available  to  artists 
generally. 

The  properties  of  the  whites  before  mentioned 
may  be  characterized  as  follows : — 


LONDON  AND  NOTTINGHAM  WHITES. 

These  do  not  differ  materially  from  other  Enghsh 
white  leads:  the  latter  is  said  to  be  prepared  from 
flake  white,  and  is  therefore  usually  the  greyest  of  the 
two.  Inferior  whites  of  lead  are  frequently  made 
by  the  addition  of  sulphate  dr  carbonate  of  barytes, 
whiting,  or  other  earths,  which  impair  theh  whiteness 
as  well  as  their  body,  lessens  their  drying  properties, 
2* 


18 


CHROMATIC  HAXD-BOOK. 


disposes  them  to  keep  their  places  less  firmly,  and  to 
darken  the  yehicle  with  which  they  are  mixed. 


CEEMS,  OE  CEEMNITZ  WHITE. 

This  is  another  carbonate  of  lead,  which  derives 
its  name  from  Crems,  in  Austria,  and  is  similar  to 
that  brought  from  Vienna,  and  known  in  conmierce 
as  Vienna  white.  It  is  made  in  cubical  masses,  and 
that  which  is  the  most  compact,  and  breaks  with  a 
clean  conchoidal  fracture,  is  esteemed  the  best.  Some 
prefer  it  to  all  other  whites;  but  it  has,  in  truth, 
no  superiority  over  good  flake  white,  though  the 
quality  varies  according  to  the  success  or  skill  of  the 
manufacturer. 


FLAKE  WHITE. 

This  is  similar  to  the  last,  except  in  the  form,  fi'om 
which  the  name  is  derived ; the  scales,  or  flakes,  are 
usually  slightly  grey  on  the  surface ; it  is  fully  equal 
to  Cremnitz  white,  and  ha^flng  rather  more  body 
when  well  prepared,  it  merits  a preference.  It  is 
sometimes  ground  to  a very  fine  powder,  and  is 
then  known  as  body  white. 


CHKOMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


19 


ROMAN  WHITE. 

This  is  a white,  differing  very  little  from  the 
above,  except  that  it  is  of  a warmer  flesh-colour  on 
the  external  surface  of  the  masses  in  which  it  is  usu- 
ally prepared ; it  is  not,  however,  sold  in  this  country, 
and,  not  being  superior  to  those  before  mentioned,  no 
special  notice  of  it  is  necessary. 


SILVER  WHITE. 

{Blanc  d'Argent.) 

The  appellation  of  this  pigment  may  be  considered 
a false  one,  inasmuch  as  it  is  prepared  from  lead,  and 
varying  very  little  in  composition  from  the  other 
whites  made  from  that  metal.  It  is  generally  brought 
from  Paris  in  the  form  of  drops,  and  is  more  brilhant 
than  the  preceding ; but  this  brilliancy  it  soon  loses 
after  being  used,  and  is  reduced  to  the  level  of  other 
whites  of  lead,  so  that  it  does  not  deserve  any  prefer- 
ence over  them,  particularly  as  flake  white  has  more 
body. 


20 


CHKOMATIC  HAXP-BOOK. 


SULPHATE  OF  LEAD. 

TTiis  is  a very  white  j)recipitate,  made  by  adding 
snlphuric  acid  to  any  solution  of  lead;  it  resembles 
the  last-named  white,  when  well  washed  and  freed 
from  acid,  but  is  inferior  to  it  in  body,  and  is  more 
susceptible  of  change  when  exposed  to  damp  or 
impure  air,  either  alone,  or  in  tints. 

The  preceding  comprehend  all  the  best  whites  of 
lead ; but  there  are  other  whites  which  are  well  worth 
attention,  such  as  the  following : — 


ZINC  WHITE. 

{^Oxide  of  Zinc.) 

This  is  somewhat  celebrated  as  a pigment,  yet  has 
not  been  very  extensively  used  in  this  country.  It  is 
perfectly  durable  both  in  oil  and  water,  but  not  gen- 
erally possessing  as  much  body  and  brightness  as  the 
whites  of  lead,  it  cannot  be  substituted  for  them  in 
aU  cases  ;*  nevertheless,  it  is  a valuable  pigment,  par- 


* By  some  late  improvements  in  the  manufacture  of  this 
^'hite,  it  can  now  be  produced  so  that  it  has  all  the  purity, 


CHROMATIC  HAXD-BOOK. 


21 


ticularly  in  forming  tints  where  not  mucli  body  is 
requisite,  as  in  glazing.  By  mixing  it  with  factitious 
ultramarine,  so  close  an  imitation  of  ultramarine  ashes 
can  be  made,  that  it  forms  a good  substitute  for  it, 
and  can  scarcely  be  distinguished  from  the  genuine 
article : in  this  way  the  late  lamented  Cole,  the  dis- 
tinguished landscape  painter,  often  used  it — so  he 
informed  the  author.  "When  skilfully  prepared  as  a 
body  white  for  water  colours,  it  is  preferable  to  all 
others,  as  it  has  the  property — and  a desirable  quality 
it  is,  too — of  bearing  out,  when  dry,  of  the  same  tone 
as  when  laid  on,  which  is  not  the  case  with  constant 
white.  When  it  becomes  better  known,  it  will  no 
doubt  be  more  extensively  used. 

Carbonate  of  zinc  is  sometimes  sold  under  the 
above  name,  and  is  far  inferior  to  it  as  a pigment. 
This  can  easily  be  distinguished : the  oxide  will  not 


brightness,  and  body  of  the  whites  of  lead.  We  cannot,  there- 
fore, doubt  but  that  it  will  ere  long  take  the  place  of  the  latter, 
over  which  it  possesses  the  superior  advantage  of  being  perfectly 
permanent  under  all  the  various  influences  to  which  pigments  are 
subject  in  painting,  and  the  no  less  important  quality  of  not  in- 
juring any  other  pigment  by  mixing  therewith. 


22 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


effervesce  if  tkrovTi  into  snlplmric  acid,  as  the  car- 
bonate will.  In  its  drying  qualities  it  is  inferior  to 
the  whites  of  lead ; but  oil  made  desiccative  by  oxide 
of  manganese,  causes  it  to  dry  evenly  throughout 
without  skinning. 


TIN  WHITE. 

(Oxide  of  Tin.) 

This  somewhat  resembles  zmc  white,  but  has  less 
body  in  oil  than  in  water.  It,  however,  works  clog- 
gy or  pasty,  and  this  is  a great  objection  to  its  use ; 
but  it  forms  the  basis  of  the  best  white  for  enamel 
painting. 


BISMUTH  WHITE. 

(Oxide  of  BismutJk.) 

This  is  of  no  value  in  painting,  though  a very 
beautiffil  white,  on  account  of  its  great  disposition  to 
change,  and  is  only  mentioned  to  caution  the  artist 
against  its  use.  It  is  also  called  2>€arl  white j and  under 
that  name  is  sometimes  sold  as  a cosmetic.  True  pearl 
white,  however,  was  formerly  made  from  the  waste 


C il  K O M A T 1C  II  A N JJ  - B O U K. 


23 


of  pearls  and  mother-of-pearls,  and  was  anciently  used 
in  water  colours ; but  other  and  better  pigments  have 
now  taken  its  place. 


CONSTANT  WHITE. 

(Sulphate  of  Barytes.) 

This  is  generally  known  as  permanent  white,  and 
has  been  extensively  used  in  water,  for  which  it  is 
well  adapted  when  perfectly  free  from  acid,  as  in  that 
it  has  a very  superior  body,  while  in  oil  or  varnish  it 
has  very  little . In  the  former  it  should  be  used  with 
as  little  gum  as  possible ; that  appearing  to  destroy 
its  body  and  whiteness.  Gum  ammoniac  is  said  to 
work  best  Avith  it.  It  possesses  the  property  (when 
used  in  water  colours)  of  drying  several  tones  higher 
than  when  wet;  this  has  been  made  an  objection  to 
its  use  by  some  artists.  Its  permanency  is  unques- 
tionable. 

The  crude  article  is  used  in  large  quantities  for 
adulterating  the  ordinary  white  lead  of  commerce, 
thereby  injuring  its  body  and  reducing  its  value. 


24 


CHROMATIC  HAXD-BOOK. 


WHITE  CHALK. 

(^Carbonate  of  Lijne.) 

This  is  an  article  well  known  to  every  one.  When 
sawed  into  suitable  form,  or  made  into  crayons  with 
paste,  it  is  used  by  the  artist  for  tracing  his  designs, 
and  for  this  purpose  it  should  work  smoothly  and  cut 
freely  from  grit.  Paris  white  and  whiting  are  pre- 
pared from  it,  and  it  is  also  the  basis  of  many  com- 
mon pigments  used  in  distemper,  but  to  the  artist  is 
of  no  value. 


*|*rUnni. 

Pigments  of  this  class  exist  in  great  abundance  in 
nature,  and  many  more  are  produced  by  art.  In 
their  delicate  hues,  they  approach  nearly  to  white, 
and  in  a strong  light  can  scarcely  be  distinguished 
from  it ; there  is  also  a resemblance  in  the  chemical 
relations  between  them. 


C II R O M A T I C H A N D - B O O K. 


25 


Yellow  being  one  of  the  primaries,  it  cannot  be 
formed  by  the  mixture  of  other  colours,  and  its  ten- 
derness is  easily  defiled  by  every  other. 

OHROME  YELLOW. 

(^Chromate  of  Lead.) 

This  pigment  has  now  been  m use  many  years,  and 
is  remarkable  for  its  brilliancy,  purity,  and  beauty  of 
colour — very  desirable  qualities  to  the  artist.  Con- 
siderable prejudice  has,  however,  existed  against  it; 
yet  there  is  no  good  reason  for  rejecting  its  use,  as, 
when  well  prepared  and  pure,  (as  a great  deal  in  com- 
merce is  not,)  it  may  as  safely  be  used  as  the  whites 
of  lead,  with  which  it  cordially  goes  into  tint  without 
injury.  It  possesses  great  body,  and  works  and  dries 
well  in  oil;  but  is  not  well  adapted  for  water,  as  it 
undergoes  the  same  changes  as  other  pigments,  having 
the  same  base.  It  resists  the  action  of  light,  or  the 
sun’s  rays,  for  a long  time;  but  exposed  to  damp, 
impure  air,  or  sulphureted  hydrogen,  it  loses  its  pure 
colour,  and,  by  long  exposure  to  such  influences,  it 
becomes  a dark  brown,  like  the  whites  of  lead.  These 
eJBfects  may,  however,  be  averted  wholly,  or  in  a great 


^ CHBOMATIC  HAA'D-BOOEL 

mt;£SiLre.  "by  dotbing  the  5rtzrfe,ce  Tdtli  a colourless 
TamislL  such  as  tliat  of  -vriiite  lac.  It  does  not  gen- 
eraDx  iLarmonize  -witli  the  soher  heanlies  of  many 
other  coloTLK,  nor  'vn.fh  the  modest  hues  of  nature; 
it  therefore  nsnally  requires  toning  do^vm  idth  other 
colours.  Upon  Pmsaan  and  Antwerp  hlnes  it  pro- 
duces rapid  changes,  ultimately  destroying  them, 
owing  to  the  chemical  action  on  each  other;  they 
should,  therefore,  newer  he  used  together  in  the  com- 
pohtion  of  greens. 

The  late  Mr.  Cole — ^the  distingidshed  landscape 
painter — it  is  well  tnown,  generally  used  this  pig- 
ment for  forming  greens;  and  though  many  of  his 
works  have  stood  the  test  of  a quarter  of  a centory, 
none  of  them  show  any  perceptible  change  in  colour 
indeed,  they  appear  in  nearly  ewery  instance  as  per- 
fect as  when  they  left  the  esisel,  with  the  exception 
of  the  toning  down  which  time  always  produces  on 
all  pictures : this  is  the  best  proof  that  can  probably 


* Thig  may  he  owing  to  the  fact  that  this  artist  al-vrays  var- 
i^hed  his  pictures  with  copal  ramish  as  soon  as  they  hecame 
perfectly  dn , w hich  served  to  protect  them  from  change. 


CHROEATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


27 


be  adduced  in  favour  of  the  permanency  of  this  pig- 
ment when  properly  used. 

A similar  pigment  is  sometimes  sold  in  France 
under  the  name  of  jaune  mineral. 


PATENT  YELLOW. 

(Chloruret  of  iMd.) 

This  is  also  known  under  the  appellation  of  Tur- 
ner's yelloiL\  or  Montpellier  yelhw^  and  is  a ponderous, 
sparkling,  crystalline  substance;  of  a bright  yellow, 
as  much  body  as  chrome  yellow,  and  working 
well  in  both  oil  and  water;  but  being  soon  de- 
stroyed by  sunUght  and  impure  air,  and  injuring 
other  colours,  it  should  be  shunned  by  the  artist. 


QUEEN’S  YELLOW. 

{Sub-Sulpkate  of  .Mercury.^ 

A pigment  of  a beautiful  lemon  colour,  but  so 
exceedingly  changeable,  by  hght,  foul  air,  and  in 
combination  with  other  colours,  it  cannot  be  used 
^vith  any  safety,  and  should  be  discarded  entirely 
from  the  lists  of  artists’  colours. 


28 


CHEOMATIC  HAXD-BOOK. 


NAPLES  YELLOW. 

{Oxides  of  Lead  and  Antimony.) 

This  appears  to  have  derived  its  name  from  the 
place  whence  it  was  originallv  brought,  being  an- 
ciently known  at  Xaples  as  Giallolini.  It  has  long 
maintained  a high  reputation,  but  it  varies  consid- 
erably in  tint,  from  a dehcate  hght  and  warm  to 
a golden  yellow,*  according  to  the  quantity  of  oxide 
of  antimony  that  it  contains.  It  possesses  great  body, 
and  should  be  used  in  oil  or  a varnish  vehicle,  in  both 
of  which  it  works  and  dries  Avell.  Under  the  effects 
of  foul  air  and  damp,  it  is  affected  like  the  whites  of 
lead;  but,  unlike  them,  it  undergoes  serious  changes 
when  mixed  with  pigments  having  ferruginous  bases — 
such  as  the  Sienna  earths,  ochres,  Antwerp  and  Prus- 
sian blues,  <kc. : indeed,  iron  in  every  form  readily 
destroys  its  beautiful  colour.  Great  care  is  neces- 
sary, in  forming  it  into  tints,  not  to  use  a steel  palette- 
knife:  for  this  purpose  a horn  or  ivory  one  should 
be  employed.  It  Autrifies  by  a strong  heat  without 


* See  note  under  head  of  cadmium  yellow. 


giiro:matic  hand-book. 


29 


change,  and  therefore  may  be  used  in  enamel  paint- 
ing; and  here  may  be  remarked,  that  vitrification 
does  not  improve  the  permanency  of  any  colour,  but 
it  greatly  increases  the  difficulty  of  grinding  them. 
Another  pigment  under  this  name  is  also  prepared 
by  some  colour  manufacturers,  in  which  the  oxide 
of  zinc  is  substituted  for  that  of  lead;  this  may  be 
considered  more  permanent  under  the  effects  of  foul 
air,  damp,  &c. 


ANTIMONY  YELLOW. 

(OxitZe  of  Antimony.) 

This  is  very  similar  to  the  last  in  its  uses  and 
properties,  though  it  has  a httle  less  body ; in  colour 
it  is  deeper  and  more  of  a golden  yellow ; not  hav- 
ing any  lead  in  its  composition,  it  is  not  susceptible 
of  change  by  sulphuretted  hydrogen,  damp,  &c. 

YELLOW  OCHRE. 

{Oxide  of  Iron  and  Elarihs.) 

This  well-known  pigment  exists  in  great  quantity 
in  every  country,  and  is  as  extensively  employed 


80 


CHEOMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


in  the  nsefnl  as  the  fine  arts,  and  may  be  consid- 
ered the  name  of  a class  rather  than  a single  pigment 
varying  some  in  constitution,  and  differing  in  colour 
from  a pale  to  a deep  yellow;  all  being  much  im- 
proved by  separating  the  coarser  particles  and  washing 
them.  None  of  them  can  be  considered  as  power- 
ful colours,  but  they  are  nevertheless  valuable,  and 
are  used  in  greater  quantities  than  any  other  pig- 
ment except  white ; they  may  also  be  employed  vdth 
perfect  safety  in  every  style  of  painting — ^in  oil  or 
water  colours,  distemper  or  fresco —not  undergoing 
any  change  in  ordinary  light,  foul  air,  or  damp: 
but  it  will  be  remembered  that  all  the  native  ochres, 
Siennas,  mnbers,  &c.,  have  a tendency  to  lower  in  tone 
by  time  and  exposure  to  fight.  Iron  forming  the 
basis  of  the  colouring  of  the  ochres,  they  are  all 
reddened  by  burning,  the  paler  ones  producing  the 
lightest  reds. 

The  following  are  the  prineipal  ones,  though  they 
assimilate  so  much  that  it  is  difficult  to  distinguish 
all  the  different  specimens  from  each  other  by  a 
description  of  them. 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


31 


OXFORD  OCHRE. 

This  is  brought  from  the  neighbourhood  of  Oxford 
(Eng.):  hence  its  name.  It  is  slightly  transparent, 
of  a warm  though  not  a bright  colour,  and  in  its 
natural  state  is  generally  in  compact  layers,  of  an 
argillaceous  texture,  cutting  free  and  smooth — very 
much  like  old  soap,  and  very  absorbent.  It  works, 
like  all  the  ochres,  perfectly  well  in  every  mode  of 
painting;  its  tinging  powers  are  very  great,  and  it 
may  be  considered  one  of  the  very  best  pigments 
of  its  class. 

STONE  OCHRE. 

This  is  often  sold  for  that  last  named,  though  dif- 
fering considerably  from  it,  inasmuch  as  it  is  generally 
in  globular  masses,  found  in  certain  kinds  of  rocks, 
free  from  grit,  and  powdery  in  texture ; it  also  varies 
considerably  in  colour,  some  specimens  being  of  a 
light  yellow,  while  others  are  quite  a dark  brown. 
It  possesses  the  general  properties  of  the  other  ochres 
and  can  be  used  in  the  same  way,  and  may  be 
employed  as  dull  red  in  enamel  painting. 

Other  yellow  ochres,  in  compact  masses,  are  also 
sometimes  known  under  this  denomination. 


82 


CHKO:vrATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


PALE  OCHRE. 

As  its  name  implies,  tins  is  a liglit  oclire,  differing 
but  little  from  tbe  foregoing,  except  in  being  of  a 
lighter  colour,  and  is  eligible  for  tbe  same  purposes ; 
when  burnt,  it  produces  tbe  purest  and  most  beau- 
tiful light  reds,  similar  to  tbe  terra  rosa  di  Puzzoli^ 
so  much  admired  by  some  for  flesh  painting. 


ROMAN  OCHRE. 

A deep,  rich,  and  powerful  orange  yellow,  rather 
more  transparent  than  the  other  ochres,  and  in  other 
respects  not  differing  from  them.  Italian  earth  is  a 
similar  pigment 


BROWN  OCHRE. 

Another  variety  of  ochre,  in  no  way  differing 
from  those  previously  named,  except  in  being  darker 
and  more  brown,  which  may  be  as  safely  and  use- 
fully employed  as  any  of  them. 


CHROMATIC  HA]STD-BOOK. 


33 


SIENNA  EARTH. 

This  pigment  is  more  generally  known  as  raw 
term  di  Sienna^  and  is  an  ore  or  oxide  of  iron ; in 
its  natural  state  it  is  usually  in  small  pieces,  irreg- 
ular in  form,  firm,  and  presenting  a glossy  appear- 
ance when  broken,  and  very  absorbent.  It  may  be 
considered  one  of  the  most  valuable  pigments  in  use, 
and  very  few  are  employed  more  extensively ; some 
specimens  are  nearly  as  pure  as  yellow  lake,  while 
others  approach  an  orange;  not  being  afiected  by 
the  action  of  light  or  impure  air,  nor  by  many  of 
the  pigments  in  general  use,  it  may  be  used  with 
perfect  freedom;  it  works  equally  well  in  every 
vehicle  used  for  painting,  and  its  transparency  adapts 
it  well  for  glazing.  Burning  converts  it  into  an 
orange  red,  known  as  burnt  Sienna,  (which  see.) 


MARS  YELLOW. 

This  is  an  artificial  ochre ; purer,  richer,  and  more 
transparent  than  any  of  the  natural  ones.  The  pig- 
ments produced  from  iron  exist  in  nature  in  very 
great  abundance,  and  in  an  alinost  endless  variety 


34 


CHEOMATIC  HAXD-BOOK. 


of  colour,  from  a liglit  yellow  to  orange,  scarlet,  red, 
broTNTi,  and  purple,  wHcli  may  be  imitated  by  art — 
such  are  tbe  Mars  colours ; tbey  are  of  comparatively 
modern  introduction,  yet  bave  been  long  enough  in 
use  to  test  them  fuUy,  and  to  prove  that  they  are  a 
most  valuable  addition  to  tbe  palette;  being  of  tbe 
nature  of  tbe  ocbres  and  Sienna  earths,  tbey  may  be 
used  in  every  mode  of  painting  where  those  colours 
could  be  employed.  All  of  them  are  sufficiently 
transparent  for  glazing,  and  dry  well. 

YELLOW  ORPIMENT. 

(^Sulphuret  of  Arsenic.) 

A bright,  beautiful,  and  pure  yellow,  formerly 
much  used  both  in  water  and  oil;  but  its  want  of 
permanency,  and  its  injurious  effects  on  other  pig- 
ments, have  induced  most  artists  very  vusely  to  dis- 
card it  entirely  from  their  palettes.  It  may,  however, 
be  safely  employed  vuth  some  pigments,  but  so  few, 
that  it  would  be  better  to  substitute  some  other  for  it 
that  does  not  require  so  much  caution  in  its  use — ■ 
such  as  the  cadmium  yellow.  It  dries  badly;  and 
if  used  witli  drying  oil  made  with  oxide  of  lead,  or 


CIIliOAIATlC  IIAAD-BOOK. 


So 


formed  into  tints  witli  wMte  lead,  its  colour  is 
destroyed  thereby : indeed,  all  colours  having  lead  in 
their  composition  are  injured  by  it,  and  it  has  so 
much  affinity  for  oxygen  as  to  destroy  nearly  every 
pigment  which  depends  upon  that  element  for  its 
colour. 


KING’S  YELLOW. 

This  is  but  another  name  for  the  above. 

CHINESE  YELLOW. 

A pigment  brought  from  China,  very  nearly  simi- 
lar to  the  last  two  in  composition,  and  equally  objec- 
tionable in  its  use. 

ARSENIC  YELLOW. 

(Oxides  of  Lead  and  Arsenic^ 

This  is  also  called  mineral  yellow;  in  colour  it 
is  very  much  like  orpiment,  but  it  dries  better,  and  is 
not  affected  by  pigments  haviiig  lead  bases,  nor  is  it 
so  much  disposed  to  change  in  tint  with  white  lead : 
nevertheless  it  is  objectionable,  as  all  pigments  arc 
which  have  arsenic  in  their  composition. 


36 


CHROMATIC  HAXD-BOOK. 


CADl^IUM  YELLOW. 

( Smlpkwrci  t>f 

Tills  mav  be  considered  one  of  tbe  most  valuable 
pigments  wMcb  cbemieal  science  bas  brougliT  to  light. 
It  varies  in  colour,  from  a pure  golden  to  an  orange 
yellow,  possessing  a good  body,  and  passing  readily 
into  tints  with  white  lead:"^  enduring  light  and  re- 
maining unchanged  in  damp  or  impure  air,  and 
worldng  well  both  in  oil  or  water,  but  in  the  lat- 
ter should  be  well  clothed  with  gum.  In  brilliancy 
it  is  not  equal  to  chrome  yellow,  but  its  tones  possess 
all  the  sober  and  quiet  beauty  of  nature.  The  metal 
from  which  it  is  made  is  a scarce  one,  and  worth 
about  double  as  much  as  silver : the  pigment  cannoh 
therefore,  be  afforded  at  a very  low  price,  nor  can  it 
be  procurci  in  large  quantities ; yet  its  utility  is  so 
great  and  now  so  well  understood  by  most  artists. 


* A great  porrion  of  the  Naples  vellow  now  s<»Id  is  a com- 
bination or  mirmre  of  eadminm  yellow  and  white  lead,  and  it  is 
really  preferable  to  that  composed  of  the  oxide  of  lead  and  anti- 
mony, as  it  is  not  subject  to  change  by  the  oxides  of  iron  in  the 
ochres  or  other  ferruginons  pigments. 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


37 


that  very  few,  particularly  landscape  painters,  are 
willing  to  deprive  themselves  of  it. 

Its  high  price  has  induced  the  cupidity  of  dealers 
sometimes  to  adulterate  it,  or  to  sell  inferior  pigments 
for  it.  These  frauds  can  be  detected  by  the  following 
methods:  Orpiment,  which  is  sometimes  sold  for  it, 
will  be  known  by  its  being  soluble  in  water  of  ammo- 
nia, and  by  subliming  at  a dull  red  heat ; while  the 
genuine  is  unchanged  by  both  the  former  and  latter 
tests.  A solution  of  caustic  potash  has  no  effect  upon 
this  pigment ; while  with  chrome  yellow  (which  bears 
some  resemblance  to  it)  it  takes  up  a portion  of  the 
chromic  acid,  forming  a yellow  solution  of  chromate 
of  potash,  and  changing  the  colour  to  a brownish 
orange  : by  these  features  the  two  can  readily  be 
distinguished. 


PLATINA  YELLOW 

Is  a pigment  prepared  from  platina,  of  a deep 
yellow,  very  similar  to  Sienna  earth  in  colour,  but 
rather  warmer,  richer  in  tone  and  more  transparent, 
and  permanent  both  in  oil  and  water.  The  author 
has  seen  but  one  specimen  that  appeared  to  be  genu- 
ine. "When  it  is  called  for  in  the  stores  of  the  colour- 

4 


88 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


men,  in  tliis  country,  cadmium  yellow  is  generally 
sold  for  it,  and  tlins  the  artists  are  misled  and  confuse 
one  with,  the  other,  although  there  is  a great  differ- 
ence between  them,  as  may  be  easily  discovered  by 
the  description  of  each.  Platina  sells  for  about  three 
times  the  price  of  cadmium,  and  therefore  the  pig- 
ment made  from  the  former  metal  could  not  be 
afforded  at  the  same  rate  as  that  made  from  the 
latter.  This  is  stated  as  a matter  of  fact,  and  not  to 
give  the  impression  that  one  is  better  than  the  other, 
for  it  is  extremely  problematical  which  of  the  two  is 
the  best ; but  that  from  cadmium  has  been  well  tested 
by  experience,  and  deserves  all  that  has  been  said  in 
its  favour.  The  same  good  character  may  be  due  that 
of  platina,  but  it  has  not  been  so  fully  proved. 


LEMON  YELLOW 

Is  a brilhant,  dehcate,  light  yellow,  nearly  equal 
in  body  to  Naples  yellow,  but  more  pure  and  tender, 
both  alone  or  in  tint ; and  is  one  of  the  most  unobjec- 
tionable and  valuable  pigments  in  use,  as  it  is  not 
liable  to  change  by  damp,  sulphuretted  hydrogen,  or 
impure  air,  nor  by  the  contrary  influences  of  light  or 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


89 


oxygen,  tlie  steel  palette-knife,  nor  by  mixture  with 
any  other  colours,  either  in  oil  or  water,  in  both  of 
which  it  works  admirably.  It  is  especially  adapted  for 
landscape  painting,  forming  cool  and  tender  greens, 
heightening  the  lights  without  producing  challdness^ 
which  the  whites  are  apt  to  do.  Not  being  affected 
by  lime  or  alkalies,  it  may  also  be  used  in  fresco 
painting  with  perfect  safety. 

This  pigment  is  known  to  some  of  the  English 
colourmeii  by  the  name  of  platina  yellow.  It  is, 
however,  very  different  from  that,  (as  will  readily  be 
understood  by  the  description,)  and  should  not  be 
confused  with  it. 

Pale  chrome  yellow  is  also  sometimes  sold  for  it, 
but  this  fraud  can  be  easily  detected  by  pouring  some 
solution  of  caustic  potash  on  it,  Avhich  will  produce 
scarcely  any  change  of  colour  in  the  genuine,  while 
upon  the  other  the  effect  will  be  as  stated  under  the 
head  of  cadmium  3mllow,  (which  see.) 


STRONTIAN  YELLOW. 

Another  pigment  answering  very  nearly  to  the 
same  description  as  the  above,  except  that  it  does 


40 


CHEOMATIC  HAXD-BOOK. 


not  possess  as  nmcli  body,  and  may  therefore  be  em- 
ployed as  a glazing  colour.  In  water  colours  it  may 
be  substituted  for  the  fagitive  gamboge.  Its  purity 
may  be  tested  in  the  same  way  as  the  preceding  pig- 
ment. 


MADDER  YELLOW. 

This  is  a lake  prepared  from  the  madder  root, 
which  in  colour  and  brightness  folly  equals  Indian 
yellow,  but  is  more  transparent,  and  of  greater  jDower. 
Like  all  madder  colours,  it  works  well  in  all  kinds 
of  vehicle ; but  terrene,  metallic,  or  alkahne  pig- 
ments act  upon  and  redden  it  slightly,  producing 
what  is  technically  called  foxiness;  and  even  when 
alone,  time  has  somewhat  the  same  effect  upon  it, 
so  that,  upon  the  whole,  it  is  the  least  ehgible  of  all 
the  madder  colours,  as  it  cannot  be  considered  per- 
fectly permanent  in  its  hue  in  the  respect  alluded  to. 


GAME  OGE. 

This  is  a well-known  gum,  brought  from  the  East 
Indies,  and  the  produce,  it  is  said,  of  several  kinds 
of  trees.  It  has  long  been  employed  as  a water 


C II  U O M AT  I C II A X I)  - B O O K. 


41 


colour,  and  its  facility  of  working  lias  been  a great 
temptation  for  its  use;  but  it  is  too  fugitive  to 
merit  a place  on  tbe  palette  of  tbe  artist.  It  cannot 
be  used  in  oil,  except  with  considerable  difficulty, 
or  unless  formed  into  a paste  witli  water,  with  some 
lemon  yellow  added  to  it ; but  tins  is  an  expedient 
that  there  is  no  need  of  resorting  to,  as  there  are 
other  pigments  which  can  well  supply  its  place. 

EXTRACT  OF  G-AMBOGE. 

This  is  the  colouring  matter  of  gamboge,  ex- 
tracted by  precipitation  from  an  alcoholic  solution, 
thus  being  separated  from  its  gum.  It  is  readily 
miscible  with  oil,  and  sufficiently  transparent  to  be 
used  in  glazing.  In  colour  it  is  improved,  being 
deprived  of  its  gi'eenish  tone.  In  other  respects, 
it  possesses  no  advantages  over  the  natural  produc- 
tion. 

GALL  STONE. 

This  is  a stone  or  calculus,  which  is  found  in  the 
gall-bladder  of  various  kinds  of  animals,  principally 

oxen ; varying  a little  in  colour,  but  generally  being 
4* 


42 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


of  a golden  yellow,  is  very  powerful,  and  lias  long 
been  bigbly  valued  as  a water  colour.  Although  it  is 
unchanged  by  damp  or  impure  air,  it  is,  nevertheless, 
soon  destroyed  by  hght. 

It  is  not  eligible  in  oil  painting,  and  in  water 
colours.  Mars  yellow  had  better  be  substituted  for  it. 


INDIAN  YELLOW. 

This  pigment  is  brought  from  India,  and  is  pro- 
duced from  the  urine  of  the  camel  and  some  other 
animals.  It  is  imported  in  fetid  balls,  which  appear 
to  be  phosphate  of  lime  united  mth  some  colouring 
matter,  not  fully  examined.  To  fit  it  for  the  use 
of  the  artist,  it  is  necessary  to  purify  it  by  washing, 
&c. ; it  is  then  of  a beautiful  and  pure  yellow,  light 
and  powdery ; it  has  considerable  body,  yet  is  sufQ.- 
ciently  transparent  for  glazing.  In  water  colours  it 
works  well,  and  resists  the  sun’s  rays  perfectly ; but 
in  ordinary  hght  or  atmosphere  it  is  not  quite  per- 
manent, though  not  affected  by  damp  or  impure  air. 
In  oil  it  is  most  objectionable : owing  to  its  alkahne 
properties,  it  has  an  injurious  action  on  the  whites 
and  other  pigments  having  lead  bases,  as  well  as 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


43 


on  carmine  and  the  lakes  of  cochineal ; it  may, 
however,  be  used  with  safety  in  fresco  painting. 

YELLOW  LAKE. 

Under  this  denomination  is  comprehended  quite 
a number  of  pigments,  varying  from  a bright  yellow 
to  a brown,  which  are  formed  by  precipitating  the 
colouring  matter  of  vegetables  on  a base  of  alumina 
or  oxide  of  tin,  or,  for  the  more  common  purposes, 
whiting  is  sometimes  employed.  The  finer  kinds 
are  usually  in  drops;  they  are  about  as  transparent 
as  other  lakes,  and  like  them  work  pleasantly  both 
in  oil  and  water,  but  in  the  former  dry  badly. 
They  are  rapidly  changed  by  the  action  of  the 
whites  of  lead  and  other  metallic  pigments,  and 
their  colours  being  soon  destroyed  by  light  and 
pure  air,  they  cannot  be  considered  as  eligible  for 
the  uses  of  artists,  though  the  beauty  of  some  of 
them  has  been  a great  temptation  for  their  em- 
ployment. 


44  CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK, 

QUERCITRON  LAKE. 

Tills  is  a lake  prepared  from  the  well-known 
quercitron  bark,  so  extensively  used  in  dying,  and 
is  one  of  the  best  yellow  lakes  just  mentioned,  but 
cannot  be  relied  upon  as  perfectly  permanent ; 
though  if  used  with  varnish  alone,  it  may  stand 
well  for  a considerable  time.  It  must,  however,  be 
remembered,  that  oil  rendered  desiccative  by  lead, 
or  the  whites  prepared  from  the  same  metal,  change 
its  pure  colour  to  a brown. 


WELD  LAKE. 

This  is  a yellow  lake  made  from  a favourite 
dying  plant,  {reseda  luteola^)  which  in  jiermanency 
and  general  properties  does  not  differ  much  from 
the  last  named,  and  is  not  inferior  to  it,  though  of 
a more  greenish  hue. 


ITALIAN  PINK. 

An  absurd  name  for  another  brownish  yellow 
lake ; the  better  kinds  possess  considerable  beauty 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


45 


and  depth  of  colour : but  they  are  all  fugitive,  and 
do  not  deserve  a place  on  the  palette  of  any  artist 
who  desires  his  works  to  remain  as  they  leave  his 
easel. 

English  pink  is  the  name  of  a pigment  of  the 
same  character,  deserving  no  special  remark. 


Eed  is  the  second  and  intermediate  of  the  pri- 
mary colours,  standing  between  yellow  and  hliie^  and 
also  bears  the  same  relation  to  white  and  black  or 
light  and  shade.  It  is  the  most  pre-eminent  as 
well  as  the  most  positive  of  all  colours : forming 
with  yellow,  the  secondary  orange  and  its  near 
relatives,  scarlet,  &c. ; and  with  blue,  the  secondary 
purple  and  its  allies,  crimson,  &c. 

It  forms  the  principal  colour  in  the  tertiary  russet^ 
entering  also  into  the  composition  of  the  two  other 
tertiaries,  citrine  and  olive^  as  well  as  in  various 
shades  of  the  semi-neutrals  and  their  relatives. 

Eed  being  a primary — consequently  a simple 


46 


CHEOMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


colour — cannot  be  made  bj  the  mixture  of  other 
colours;  and  is  so  useful  in  art,  that  good  pigments 
of  this  class  may  be  considered  of  all  others  the 
most  indispensable ; fortunately  there  are  a gTeat 
many  of  this  denomination,  and  those  here  enumer- 
ated will  be  found  the  most  desirable. 

VERMILION. 

(^Sulphuret  of  Mercury^ 

This  is  one  of  the  oldest  pigments  in  use,  and 
was  known  to  the  ancients  under  the  name  of 
minium^  a term  which  is  now  only  apphed  to  red 
lead,  {i^er-oxide  of  lead.)  It  is  found  native,  and  is 
also  produced  in  large  quantities  by  art;  in  the 
former  state  it  is  known  as  cinnabar.,  and  is  in  fact 
an  ore  of  quicksilver.  It  varies  in  tint  from  a scarlet 
to  a deep  red,  the  former  is  generally  esteemed  the 
best ; the  kind  which  is  brought  from  China,  and 
known  in  commerce  as  Chinese  vermilion,  is  of  a 
more  crimson  tone  than  any  other ; both  sorts  possess 
great  body,  and  work  admirably  both  in  water  and 
oil,  and  may  be  relied  upon  as  perfectly  permanent, 
either  alone,  in  tints,  or  mixed  vdth  other  colours. 


CHROMATIC  HAXD-BOOK. 


47 


Yermilion  has  suffered  some  in  reputation  by  bad 
association.  Some  contend  that  it  fades  by  exposure 
to  light,  while  others  maintain  that  under  other  in- 
fluences it  blackens;  these  opinions  have  no  doubt 
been  formed  from  trials  on  adulterated  or  badly 
prepared  specimens.  As  it  has  been  so  well  tested 
by  time,  no  fears  need  be  entertained,  that  it  vdll 
not  sustain  the  character  given  it  above. 

It  is  frequently  adulterated  by  red  or  orange 
lead.  This  is  easily  detected  by  throwing  a small 
quantity  on  a shovel  or  a spoon  heated  to  a dull 
red,  which  will  entirely  evaporate  the  vermilion  and 
leave  the  adulteration ; the  same  admixture  could 
also  be  determined  by  muriatic  acid,  which  would 
turn  the  lead  to  a white  or  grey,  while  if  pure  it 
would  not  be  changed.  Iodine  scarlet  {biniodide  of 
mercury)  and  common  lake  are  said  to  be  used 
sometimes  to  improve  the  colour,  but  both  of  these 
being  very  fugitive  they  only  add  temporary  beauty 
to  it,  and  defeat  the  object  intended  to  be  attained ; 
no  pecuniary  benefit,  however,  woidd  be  derived 
from  these  two  adulterations,  as  both  of  the  pig- 
ments alluded  to  are  more  expensive  tlian  the  best 
vermilion. 


48 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


IODINE  SCARLET. 

(Biniodide  of  Mercury^ 

This  is  the  pigment  known  in  some  of  the  cata- 
logues of  English  colourmen,  as  pure  scarlet;  and  is 
the  most  vivid  and  beautiful  scarlet  known,  far 
exceeding  the  brilliancy  of  vermilion,  and  not  in- 
ferior to  it  in  bod}^  It  is  nevertheless  unfit  for  the 
use  of  the  artist,  as  it  is  so  susceptible  of  change 
that  it  cannot  be  used  with  any  safety ; a moderate 
heat,  even  a strong  sunlight,  will  dissipate  it ; 
impure  air  will  decompose  it  and  reduce  its  base 
to  the  metallic  state ; the  steel  palette-knife  will 
also  change  its  colour. 

It  is  sometimes  used  for  the  brilliant  high  lights 
in  sunsets,  and  for  giving  the  gorgeous  efiects  of 
fire-light,  lightning,  &c.,  in  coloured  prints ; when 
employed  alone  in  this  way,  clothed  with  a vehicle 
formed  by  a solution  of  gum  ammoniac  in  water, 
it  appears  to  stand  very  well. 


CIIKOMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


49 


RED  LEAD. 

(Peroxide  of  Lead.) 

This  has  been  generally  discarded  from  the 
lists  of  artists’  colours,  as  scarcely  worthy  of  being 
mentioned  among  them ; though  it  still  retains  a 
place  in  some  of  the  old  style  water-colour  boxes, 
and  is  probably  used  by  some  whose  works  do  not 
always  deserve  to  be  handed  down  to  posterity  as 
specimens  of  high  art. 

It  was  formerly  known  by  the  name  of  minium, 
(sometimes  confounded  with  vermilion,  which  it 
somewhat  resembles,  though  rather  warmer,)  and  is 
now  principally  used  for  rendering  oils  desiccative. 
When  employed  alone  and  in  raw  oil  or  varnish, 
it  stands  pretty  well  when  exposed  to  light;  but  it 
changes  rapidly  in  tints  with  the  lead  whites  and 
several  other  pigments,  as  well  as  by  sulphuretted 
hydrogen  or  impure  air,  which  blackens  and  metal- 
lizes it. 


RED  OCHRE. 

This  may  be  regarded  as  the  name  of  a class, 

rather  than  any  one  pigment ; comprehending  Indian 

5 


50 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


red^  Venetmn  red,  light  red,  Lidia^i  ochre,  hrown  red, 
Armenian  hole,  &c.  Each,  will  be  treated  separately, 
or  at  least  sucb  of  them  as  are  thought  the  most 
important ; among  w^hicb  may  be  enumerated  the 
follo^ving : — 


INDIAN  RED. 

The  true  Indian  red  was  brought  originally  from 
Bengal — hence  its  name,  and  is  in  fact  a species  of 
iron  ore.  It  is  usually  associated  with  silicious  mat- 
ter, from  which  it  is  separated  and  washed  before 
it  is  fit  for  use.  It  varies  considerably  in  colour, 
but  that  which  is  the  most  lakey  or  rosy  in  tone 
is  valued  the  most.  It  works  equally  well  in  oil 
or  water,  and  like  the  oclires,  it  is  not  affected  by 
light,  impure  air,  time,  nor  by  any  other  pigment; 
it  may,  therefore,  be  considered  entirely  unobjection- 
able in  its  permanency.  An  inferior  pigment  is 
often  sold  for  it,  which  has  injured  the  reputation 
of  the  genuine;  but,  with  a little  care  and  exjDeri- 
ence,  one  can  be  easily  distinguished  from  the  other. 
It  must  be  borne  in  mind,  that  it  is  generally  sold 
numbered  one  and  two ; the  former  being  the 
brightest,  and  the  latter  the  most  purple. 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


61 


It  possesses  too  mucli  opacity  to  be  used  as  a 
glazing  colour,  but  forms  some  beautiful  tints  for 
flesh. 


VENETIAN  RED. 

The  pigment  bearing  this  title,  is  usually  made 
by  artificial  means  from  the  residuum  of  prepara- 
tions of  iron  in  chemical  manufactures ; though  a 
natural  ochre  was  formerly  known  to  the  Venetians, 
and  hence  the  name.  That  in  general  use,  possesses 
considerable  body,  vast  tinging  power,  and  the  gen- 
eral properties  of  the  ochres. 

Spanish  red  is  a native  ochre  very  similar  in  its 
qualities  to  the  above. 

LIGHT  RED. 

This  is  produced  usually  by  submitting  yellow 
ochre  to  a dull  red  heat,  the  lighter  and  brighter 
specimens  forming  the  most  delicate  colours.  There 
is,  however,  a natural  ochre  closely  resembling  it, 
and  this  has  some  tendency  to  darken  by  time;  in 
every  other  respect,  light  red  possesses  the  properties 
common  to  all  ochres,  working  well  in  every  kind 


52 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


of  veliicle  and  mixing  with  almost  every  other  pig- 
ment without  undergoing  change,  and  useful  in  every 
department  of  painting. 


BROWN  RED 

Is  a native  ochre,  intermediate  in  colour  between 
Indian  red  and  light  red,  which  can  be  imitated  by 
burning  brown  ochre,  Italian  earth,  &c.,  and  may 
be  used  for  the  shadows  of  lighter  reds ; in  its 
general  properties,  it  is  similar  to  the  other  ochrous 
pigments. 

MARS  RED. 

An  artificial  ochre,  more  pure  and  delicate  in  its 
tints  than  the  natural  ochres,  and  working  equally 
well  in  oleaginous  or  watery  vehicles ; being  semi- 
transparent, it  is  well  adapted  for  glazing ; on  that 
account  it  will  be  preferred  to  any  of  the  fer- 
ruginous reds,  already  named,  for  the  carnations  of 
flesh,  or  landscape  painting.  Its  constitution  being 
similar  to  the  ochres,  in  permanency  it  may  be  con- 
sidered undoubted. 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


53 


LAKE. 

This  is  a generic  term  for  an  extensive  class  of 
pigments  of  various  colours,  made  by  precipitating 
the  colouring  matter  from  tinctures  of  dying 
materials  on  alumina,  metallic  oxides,  or  earths ; 
cochineal,  seed-lac,  and  Brazil-wood,  furnishing  the 
greater  part  of  the  crimson  and  scarlet  lakes,  but 
all  these  are  more  or  less  fugitive.  The  only  per- 
fectly permanent  ones  are  those  of  madder.* 

Among  those  which  may  be  especially  mentioned 
are  the  following  : — 

ROSE  MADDER  LAKE. 

The  discovery  of  the  method  of  producing  this 
beautiful  colour,  supphed  a desideratum  which  was 
wholly  unknown  to  the  ancients,  who  possessed 
nothing  approaching  it  in  permanency;  a pigment 


* It  should  he  observed  that  all  the  lakes,  when  ground  in 
oil,  soon  become  “ livery as  it  is  called,  and  unfit  for  use ; it 
is,  therefore,  better  to  keep  these  pigments  in  the  dry  state,  to 
be  ground  or  rubbed  upon  the  palette,  as  occasion  may  require. 
5* 


54 


CHROMATIC  ^AND-BOOK. 


that  is  now  considered  indispensable  in  every  mode 
of  painting,  and  on  every  palette,  affording  the  only 
true  rose  colour,  possessing  the  mellowness  and 
purity  of  nature,  with  perfect  transparency.  It. 
works  well  in  oil  or  water,  but  in  the  former  ve- 
hicle, like  all  the  other  lakes,  it  requires  to  be  used 
with  a strong  dryer.  With  lead  white  alone,  or  in 
combination  with  other  colours,  it  bears  unchanged 
the  various  effects  of  the  gases,  light,  or  impure  air. 
As  a Avater  colour,  it  does  not  Avork  with  the  ful- 
ness or  facihty  of  some  of  the  fugitive  lakes,  yet  its 
permanency,  under  every  circumstance,  cannot  fail 
to  gi\^e  it  the  preference  over  eA^ery  other.  Some- 
times it  may  be  found  too  brilliant,  but  this  objection 
may  be  easily  obviated  by  toning  it  down  with 
manganese  brown  or  umber. 

It  may  be  made  of  various  deptlis  of  colour, 
from  the  deepest  crimson  to  a light  rose,  all  being 
equally  good,  and  differing  only  in  the  quantity  of 
colouring  matter  that  they  contain. 

The  madder  lakes  are  frequently  adulterated  with 
the  fugitive  lakes  of  cochineal.  These  deceptions  are 
easily  detected  by  water  of  ammonia,  or  hartshorn, 
as  it  is  usually  called,  This  Avill  dissolve  the  colour 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


55 


of  the  latter,  while  upon  the  former  it  will  have  no 
effect.  By  dissolving  carmine  in  this  way — in  am- 
monia, the  beautiful  carminated  red  ink  (generally 
imported  from  France)  is  made.  If  adulterated 
with  the  lakes  from  woods,  the  colour  will  be 
changed  to  a purple  by  the  same  test. 


SCARLET  LAKE 

Is  a very  beautiful  transparent  red  lake,  made 
from  cochineal,  of  considerable  power.  It  works 
well  in  oil  and  water,  but  in  the  former  dries  very 
slowly,  unless  some  siccative  be  added  to  it.  The 
sun,  or  even  ordinary  light,  soon  destroys  its  colour. 
Employed  in  tints  with  white  lead,  or  mixed  with 
other  pigments,  it  is  equally  fugitive.  K,  however, 
it  be  used  pure,  and  in  considerable  body  with  a 
resinous  vehicle,  it  may  last  for  years,  but  it  would 
be  best  never  to  employ  it  when  perfect  durability 
is  desired.  Vermilion  has  an  injurious  effect  upon 
it,  therefore  its  use  as  a glazing  colour  over  that 
pigment  is  unwise. 


56 


CHROMATIC  HAXD-BOOK. 


FLORENTINE  LAKE 

Is  very  similar  to  the  last,  except  that  in  colour 
it  tends  to  a crimson. 


MUNICH  LAZE. 

A more  deep  and  powerful  colour  than  the  pre- 
ceding one,  and  inchning  still  more  to  a crimson ; 
in  other  respects,  not  essentially  differing  from  it 
Another  lake  of  the  same  character,  is  known 
under  the  name  of  HarrJjurgh  lake. 


CAEMINATED  LAKE. 

Another  of  the  numerous  family  of  cochineal 
lakes,  in  depth  and  power  excelled  by  none  of 
them,  and  iu  its  general  properties  the  same  as 
those  already  noticed.  The  specimens  vary  in  col- 
our from  a scarlet  to  a crimson. 


CHKOMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


57 


INDIAN  LAKE. 

This  is  a purplish  red  lake,  made  from  lacca^  or 
seed-lac^  of  India,  the  production  of  an  insect.  It 
is  equally  transparent  and  deep,  though  not  as 
brilliant,  as  the  lakes  of  cochineal,  but  rather  more 
durable.  In  its  properties  of  working  and  drying 
it  resembles  other  lakes. 

This  lake  has  probably  been  in  use  longer  than 
any  other,  and  is  supposed  to  have  been  employed 
by  the  masters  of  the  Venetian  school  in  their  best 
worhs. 


CARMINE. 

This  term  is  generally  applied  to  the  brilliant 
reds  produced  from  tinctures  of  cochineal,  and  is 
the  first  feculent  deposite  of  the  colouring  matter ; 
the  secondary  precipitate,  with  alumina,  &c.,  form- 
ing the  lakes  already  described.  It  is  exceedingly 
transparent,  powerful,  and  rich,  varying  in  colour 
from  pure  red  to  crimson,  and  requiring  much 
skill  in  its  preparation.  It  works  pleasantly  in 
water  and  oil,  but  its  lack  of  permanency,  in  ordi- 
nary light,  either  alone  or  with  other  colours,  and 


58 


CHROMATIC  HAXD-BOOK. 


in  tints  with  white  lead,  like  the  cochineal  lakes, 
unfits  it  for  the  use  of  artists.  Large  quantities 
of  it  are,  however,  used  in  colouring  cheap  prints, 
being  well  adapted  for  this  purpose  on  account  of 
the  facdity  of  its  use,  by  reason  of  being  soluble  in 
water  of  ammonia : a quahty,  it  will  be  remembered, 
w'hich  distinguishes  it  from  the  colours  of  madder. 


MADDER  CARMINE. 

As  the  name  implies,  this  is  prepared  from 
madder,  and  is  the  deepest  and  richest  deposite  of 
the  colour,  dififering  only  in  this  respect  from  the 
madder  lakes,  and  is  the  only  perfectly  durable 
and  unobjectionable  carmine  yet  produced,  workmg 
with  great  facility  in  every  mode  of  painting.  It 
is  not  in  itself  however,  so  rich  and  brilliant  as 
that  fr'om  cochineal ; but,  with  proper  management, 
it  can  be  made  quite  as  effective,  beautiful,  and 
true  to  the  coloui's  of  nature. 

ROUGE. 

This  is  a preparation  from  safflower,  the  same 
as  is  known  in  France  as  rouge  vegMe,,  wliich  is 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


59 


employed  in  making  pink  saucers.  Being  an  ex- 
ceedingly fugitive  colour,  it  does  not  deserve  any 
attention  from  the  artist. 


351  tit. 

Blue  is  the  third  and  last  of  the  primaries  or 
simple  colours,  bearing  the  same  relation  to  shade 
that  yellow  does  to  light.  It  enters  into  combination 
with  yellow  in  the  composition  of  all  greens^  and  with 
red  in  all  purples^  and  is  a subordinate  of  all  the 
tertiar}^  colours. 

The  number  of  blue  pigments,  compared  with 
yellow  and  red,  is  limited;  but  in  their  perfection, 
they  are  fully  equal  to  them.  The  following  include 
all  the  best  of  them,  and  quite  enough  to  answer 
every  purpose  of  the  painter  : — 


ULTRAMARINE. 

This  celebrated  pigment  is  supposed  to  be  the 
same  as  that  formerly  known  as  Armenian  blue,  and 


60 


CHEOMATIC  HAXP-BOOS. 


ii  p'lnepcared  finoim  aa  oriental  pcreeions  stone  called 
laptis  liazpli-  In  Inia.'i;  been.  MgbiT  prized  from  timo 
immemorial  for  its  simgiilar  beamrr  and  permanencrv, 
ani'i  nence  a , great  mary  experiments  Lave  been 
made  and  nmck  time  expended  in  attemp'ts  at 
imimtiisg  it.  resMting'  in  tbe  p-rodnetion  of  a faetf- 
(dons  article  possessinsr  a great  deal  of  tke  beantr 
and  nearly  tke  permanency  and  p^nrity  of  eoionr 
of  tkat  from  tke  natnral  stone, 

Xke  reptitation  of  tke  tme  idtramaiine  In  as  not 
been  based  npon  anv  qnestionaMe  pretensions,  as  it 
kas  been  teste-i  by  time  and  every  otker  trial  to 
wkick  tke  best  p'igments  kave  been  submitted,  and 
.kas  not  been  f>iind  wanting  in  permanenevy  being 
neitker  snbject  to  ckange  by  dampy  impure  aiTj 
skade,  nor  tke  intensest  ligkt,  so  tkat  in  tke  oldest 
paintings,  in  wkick  it  kas  been  used,  not  tke  least 
ckange  is  apparent-  In  colour  it  varies  &om  tke 
mc'St  extreme  deptk  of  skadow  to  tke  kigkest  point 
and  biilliancv  of  ligkt,  and  transp'arent  in  all  its 
degrees,  as  well  as  pnre  in  its  tints. 

In  oil  it  works  agreeably  and  firies  well,  but  its 
grittines?  renders  it  a little  unpleasant  in  a water 
vekicle.  It  is  eminently  afiap^ted  for  skies,  yet  it 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


61 


may  be  nearly  as  useful  in  painting  the  delicate 
silvery  greys  of  flesh,  or  the  exquisite  colours  of 
flowers,  by  reason  of  its  entering  so  admirably  into 
purples,  blacks,  greens,  greys,  and  broken  colours. 
It  has  obtained  the  reputation  of  clearing  or  carry- 
ing light  and  atmosphere  into  all  colours  with 
which  it  is  mixed,  and  thus  acquiring  a claim  for 
universality  of  use  that  no  other  pigment  is  entitled 
to;  these  remarks  apply  to  the  most  perfect  speci- 
mens of  ultramarine.  It  should,  however,  be  re- 
marked, that  there  is  considerable  difference  in  the 
specimens,  according  to  the  skill  used  in  preparing 
it,  some  being  coarse  in  texture,  and  of  a purple  or 
greenish  cast,  owing  to  a portion  of  red  or  yellow 
oxide  of  iron  which  is  often  associated  with  the  lapis 
lazuli,  while  others  assume  a dusky  hue  from  the 
sulphuret  of  lead  which  is  combined  with  it  in 
some  cases ; all  these  are  equally  useful  in  their 
proper  places.  Its  high  price  (being  sometimes  sold 
as  high  as  $30  or  $10  an  ounce)  has  often  induced 
dealers  to  adulterate  it,  sell  inferior  pigments  for  it, 
or  dye,  dampen,  or  oil  it,  to  enrich  its  appearance; 
but  the  genuine  may  be  easily  distinguished  from 

the  imitation,  by  dropping  a small  quantity  in  some 

6 


62 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


lemon-juice,  or  almost  any  other  acid,  which  ^¥ill 
immediately  destroy  the  colour  of  the  true  ultra- 
marine,  leaving  an  ash-coloured  precipitate,  while 
the  factitious  retains  its  colour,  or  loses  it  with 
considerahle  effervescence^  as  noted  under  the  following 
head. 


FRENCH  ULTRAMARINE. 

The  best  factitious  ultramarine  is  known  under 
this  name ; that  manufactured  by  Guimet,  for  which 
the  French  government  granted  him  a premium  of 
six  thousand  francs  for  the  discovery  of  the  method 
of  preparing,  has  long  mamtained  its  pre-eminence, 
and  approaches  nearer  the  purity  and  beauty  of 
that  made  from  the  lapis  lazuli  than  any  other. 
It  is  a deep  and  rich  blue,  but  is  darker  and 
less  azure  than  true  ultramarine  of  the  same  depth, 
and  though  t y cannot  be  considered  perfectly 
permanent,  yet  under  ordinary  circumstances  it  is 
sufficiently  so  to  entitle  it  to  substitution  for  the 
genuine,  in  the  composition  of  which  it  bears  so 
close  a resemblance,  that  it  answers  to  nearly  the 
same  tests;  acids  usually  produce  effervescence  and 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


63 


a brownisli  precipitate,  and  fire  generally  darkens 
but  does  not  destroy  its  colour. 

Altliougli  so  extensively  employed  in  oil,  in 
wbicli  it  dries  well,  considerable  objection  is  often 
made  to  its  working  badly  in  tints  with  white  lead, 
from  its  tendency  to  separate  from  it,  the  white 
rising  to  the  surface;  but  as  no  other,  except  the 
true  pigment,  has  yet  been  discovered  to  equal  it 
in  colour,  this  complaint  has  not  superseded  its 
use.  As  a water  colour  it  works  and  washes  well, 
and  is  as  permanent  as  in  oil. 

PERMANENT  BLUE. 

Within  the  last  few  years,  a beautiful  blue  pig- 
ment under  this  name  has  been  added  to  the  lists 
of  artists’  colours ; it  is  a deep  blue  tending  to 
purple,  less  azure  and  not  as  powerful  as  the  last 
named,  but  not  differing  materially  in  other  respects 
from  it.  It  is  known  in  commerce  as  German 
ultramarine^  and  is  extensively  used  in  the  industrial 
arts. 


64 


CHEOMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


COBALT  BLUE. 

I 

The  finest  blue  known  by  this  appellation  is 
produced  by  a precipitate  of  the  oxide  of  cobalt 
upon  alumina,  brought  up  by  a strong  heat,  and 
is  known  as  Tlienard^s  hlue.  It  differs  a little  in 
purity;  when  well  prepared  is  a very  beautiful  and 
pm’e  blue,  tending  neither  to  gTeen  nor  purple,  and 
nearly  equal  in  brilliancy  to  the  best  ultramarine. 
It  has  not,  however,  quite  as  much  transparency 
and  depth,  nor  the  modest  hue  of  the  latter,  though 
superior  to  all  other  blues  in  colour.  In  a water 
vehicle,  it  is  preferred  by  many  to  ultramarine,  on 
account  of  its  facility  of  working.  In  oil,  it  also 
works  agreeably  and  dries  very  well.  It  undergoes 
little  or  no  change  in  strong  light,  neither  does  it 
suffer  by  mixture  with  other  pigments,  but  impure ‘or 
damp  air  greens  and  ultimately  blackens  it.  With  a 
suitable  flux  it  may  be  employed  in  enamel  painting. 

Other  pigments  prepared  with  an  oxide  of  cobalt 
upon  a silicious  base,  are  sometimes  sold  as  cobalt 
blues,  but  these  are  far  inferior  to  the  above ; some 
of  them  will  be  comprehended  under  the  following 
heads : — 


CHROMATIC  HAND-ROOK. 


65 


ROYAL  SMALTS. 

This  is  one  of  the  vitreous  cobalt  blues  just 
alluded  to,  and  is  similar  to  Dunwnfs  Hue,  royal 
hlue^  and  powder  blue.  These  are  all  light  blues, 
without  much  body,  and  being  of  a gritty  texture 
they  do  not  Avork  very  pleasantly ; an  objection 
Avhich  applies  to  nearly  all  vitrified  pigments.  The 
finer  kinds,  however,  when  well  ground,  are  pretty 
Avell  adapted  for  water  colours,  and  they  also  dry 
well  in  oil;  but,  upon  the  Avhole,  cobalt  blue  is  of 
greater  utility  and  permanency. 

It  has  long  been  employed  as  an  enamel  colour, 
and  used  in  that  Avay  it  is  perfectly  permanent. 

PRUSSIAN  BLUE. 

(Ferro  Cyanide  of  Iron.) 

This  is  a Avell-known  deep  blue  colour  of  great 
power,  and  quite  transparent,  Avhich  forms  tints  of 
considerable  beauty  Muth  the  lead  whites,  though 
not  equal  to  those  of  ultramarine  or  cobalt  blue, 
neither  are  they  permanent,  as  they  soon  assume  a 

gTeenish  tone  and  fade  in  a strong  light.  In  damp 
6* 


66 


CHROMATIC  HAXD-BOOK. 


or  impure  air,  it  cliauges  to  a purplish  hue  and 
ultimately  blackens. 

It  dries  well  in  oil,  and  its  transparency  adapts 
it  for  glazing,  but  its  greatest  utility  is  in  painting 
deep  blues,  as  its  depth  and  transparency  gives  it 
force;  in  forming  purples  with  lake,  and  in  adding 
intensity  to  black,  it  may  be  employed  to  advantage. 

It  is  extensively  employed  by  some  artists  with 
chrome  yellow  in  the  composition  of  greens,  (form- 
ing what  is  termed  chrome  or  Brunswick  green ;) 
but  its  use  in  this  way  cannot  be  too  strongly 
reprobated,  as  the  colour  soon  changes,  and  is  hnally 
destroyed — even  with  the  ochres  it  is  not  entirely 
permanent.  Its  most  useful  applications,  therefore, 
are  for  common  painting  and  the  laundress.  Berlin 
Hue  is  another  name  for  the  same  pigment 


ANTWERP  BLUE. 

The  composition  of  this  pigment  differs  from  the 
last  only  in  having  a portion  of  alumina  united  with 
it,  and  being  of  a lighter  colour;  in  other  res}>ects, 
there  is  no  material  difference,  and  no  greater  per- 
manency can  be  claimed  for  it. 


CHROMATIC  HAXD-BOOK. 


67 


INDIGO. 

This  is  a well-known  pigment,  produced  from  a 
plant  which  is  found  in  various  countries;  it  varies 
considerably  in  quality  and  is  principally  used  in 
dying. 

It  works  very  well  as  a water  colour,  and  is  a good 
substitute  for  Prussian  blue,  being  a sober  and  clear 
blue  ; forming  with  Indian  red,  fine  purple  shadows, 
and  with  Sienna  or  the  ochres,  agreeable  and  quiet 
greens.  In  oil  it  is  of  very  Httle  value,  as  in  tints 
with  white  lead  it  is  very  fugitive,  and  siccative  oils 
and  various  pigments  injure  it. 


INTENSE  BLUE. 

This  is  a precipitate  of  the  colouring  matter  of 
indigo,  from  a solution  in  sulphuric  acid,  which 
renders  it  more  powerful,  deep,  and  transparent, 
equal  in  colour  to  Antwerp  blue  and  more  durable  in 
water,  in  which  it  washes  and  works  well;  but  in  oil, 
like  indigo,  it  is  quite  changeable,  and  should  be 
avoided. 


68 


CHROMATIC  HAXD-BOOK. 


BLUE  VEBDITER. 

This  is  made  by  precipitating  nitrate  of  copper  by 
lime.  It  is  quite  a beautiful  light  blue,  and  like  all 
the  other  pigments  prepared  from  copper,  is  very  sus- 
ceptible of  change-— -damp,  impure  air,  and  even  time 
will  turn  it  greenish  and  ultimately  blacken  it;  but 
used  alone,  and  exposed  to  light,  it  will  last  a 
considerable  time.  It  is  by  no  means  an  eligible 
pigment  for  the  use  of  artists ; a further  description 
of  it  therefore  is  unnecessary. 

SAUNDERS’  BLUE. 

The  name  of  this  pigment  is  supposed  to  be 
derived  from  hhu  de  cendres^  a corruption  of  ultra- 
'niarine  ashes.  There  appears  to  have  been  two  kinds 
of  it,  the  one  a natural  and  the  other  an  artificial  pro- 
duction; the  former  is  similar  to  the  following,  and 
the  latter  not  unlike  the  verditer  above  mentioned. 

MOUNTAIN  BLUE 

Is  a beautiful  blue  mineral,  found  native  in  copper 
mines,  and  is  a carbonate  of  copper.  In  its  character 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


69 


it  is  like  the  two  blues  last  mentioned,  and  not 
deserving  the  attention  of  the  artist. 


SCHWEINFURT  BLUE. 

Another  of  the  family  of  copper  blues,  just  as 
objectionable  as  any  of  them,  and  only  named  to 
caution  the  student  against  its  use  in  fine  art. 


BLUE  OCHRE. 

(Proto-Phosphate  of  Iron.) 

This  is  found  native  in  small  quantities,  but  is 
generally  produced  by  art ; the  former  is  the  most 
powerful  in  colour  and  possesses  the  greatest  body. 
It  is  to  blue  what  Oxford  ochre  is  to  yellow;  conse- 
quently is  more  admirable  for  its  modesty  than 
brilliancy.  Its  general  character  is  very  similar  to  the 
ochres;  the  artificial  (the  only  kind  usually  to  be 
obtained)  is  more  transparent.  It  works  well  in 
every  mode  of  painting,  dries  readily  in  oil,  suffers 
no  change  by  white  lead  or  other  pigments,  nor  by 
exposure  to  strong  light,  damp  or  impure  air ; it  may 
therefore  be  considered  a very  unobjectionable  pig- 


70 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


ment.  In  appearance  it  is  Terr  mncli  like  the  lower 
grades  of  nltramarine,  is  adapted  for  somewhat 
similar  purposes,  and  answers  to  the  same  acid  tests ; 
from  which,  however,  it  can  be  distinguished  by 
exposing  it  to  a red  heat,  which  changes  it  to  an 
ochrous  brown  oxide  of  iron. 


(!>raiigr. 

This  is  the  first  of  the  secondary  colours  in  its  re- 
lation to  light,  being  composed  of  ydhw  and  red. 
"Wben  inclining  to  red  it  takes  the  name  of  scarlet^ 
and  when  towards  yellow  it  is  termed  golden.  With 
green  it  forms  the  tertiary  citrine,  and  with  purple, 
russet. 

The  following  will  be  found  to  comprehend  all 
the  pigments  of  this  denomination  worthy  of  men- 
tioning, and  includes  some  which  are  generally 
known  as  reds  and  yellows. 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


71 


MIXED  ORANGE. 

This  being  composed  of  red  and  yellow,  its  place 
may  be  supplied  by  mixture  of  the  two  primitives, 
by  glazing  one  over  the  other,  or  by  other  modes  of 
working ; generally  speaking,  however,  mixed  pig- 
ments are  inferior  to  the  simple. 

ORANGE  VERMILION 

(Bi-Sulphuret  of  Mercury^ 

In  appearance  this  resembles  red  lead,  but  is  not 
subject  to  any  of  the  changes  of  that  pigment,  being 
perfectly  durable  in  oil  or  water  colours.  It  is  a 
powerful  tinger  of  white,  yielding  pure  and  delicate 
warm  tints,  and  drying  well  in  simple  linseed  oil, 
possessing  all  the  good  properties  as  well  as  the  body 
of  other  vermilions,  and  can  be  tested  in  the  same 
way. 

In  the  process  of  washing  the  ordinary  vermilions 
a certain  portion  is  suspended  in  the  water  for  some 
time  without  settling,  and  this,  decanted  into  another 
vessel,  forms  the  orange  vermilion. 


72 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


CHROME  ORANGE 

{Di-Chromate  of  Lead) 

Is  a brilliant  and  beautiful  orange  pigment,  and 
one  of  the  most  permanent  and  unexceptionable  of 
the  chromates  of  lead. 

When  skilfully  prepared  it  is  brighter  in  colour 
than  orange  vermilion,  but  not  superior  to  it  in  dura- 
bility or  body,  and  is  subject  to  the  same  changes  as 
chrome  yellow,  though  in  a somewhat  less  degree. 

ORANGE  OCHRE. 

Many  of  the  natural  ochres  are  of  an  orange 
colour,  while  others  are  produced  by  burning  the 
yellow  ochres,  thus  acquiring  greater  depth  and 
transparency.  In  colour  they  are  not  very  bright, 
but  form  good  flesh  tints  with  the  whites  of  lead. 
Like  the  other  ochres  they  are  perfectly  permanent 
in  every  mode  of  painting,  and  dry  weU  in  oil. 

MARS  ORANGE. 

This  is  an  artificial  ochre,  very  similar  in  its  colour 
to  the  above,  but  much  brighter,  richer,  more  lucid. 


CIIROMATIC  1IAND-J500K. 


73 


and  better  adapted  for  glazing  ; its  properties  in  other 
respeets  are  very  much  like  the  natural  ochres,  except 
that  it  is  rather  more  chemically  active,  and,  there- 
fore, greater  caution  should  be  exercised  in  mixing 
it  with  pigments  which  are  affected  by  iron. 


BURNT  SIENNA  EARTH. 

As  the  name  implies,  this  is  produced  by  burning 
terra  di  Sienna^  forming  an  orange  russet  pigment 
extensively  used  in  every  mode  of  painting;  heat 
increases  its  depth,  improves  its  transparency,  and 
makes  it  work  more  freely  than  in  the  raw  state,  in 
other  respects  it  retains  the  properties  of  the  natural 
colour,  and  may  be  safely  employed  with  nearly  every 
good  pigment,  whether  in  oil  or  water. 


ORANGE  ORPIMENT. 

{Sulphuret  of  Arsenic.) 

This  is  what  is  usually  termed  red  orpiment^  in 
contradistinction  to  yellow  orpiment.  It  is  a brilhant 
orange,  resembling — in  appearance — deep  cadmium 

yellow,  but  can  be  easily  distinguished  from  the  latter, 

7 


74 


CHROMATiq  HAND-BOOK. 


by  its  being  soluble  in  ammonia.  Wbat  was  said  of 
yellow  orpiment,  as  it  respects  its  permanency,  may 
with  equal  truth  be  said  of  this. 

ORANGE  MADDER  LAKE. 

This  madder  lake  does  not  differ  in  its  general 
qualities  from  those  already  described,  except  in 
colour,  and  a slight  tendency  to  redden  by  time ; it 
is,  however,  a very  eligible  pigment,  and  can  be 
made  to  vary  in  tint  from  a true  orange  to  an  orange 
russet. 


(Bxtn. 

This  occupies  the  middle  station  in  the  natural 
scale  of  colours  relatively  to  light  and  shade,  and 
is  the  second  of  the  secondary  colours:  being  com- 
posed of  the  primaries,  yellow  and  blue. 

This  is  considered  the  most  effective,  distinct, 
and  striking,  of  all  compound  colours:  mixed  with 
orange  it  forms  the  one  extreme  tertiary,  citrine  ; and 


CHEOMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


75 


with  purple,  it  produces  the  other  extreme  tertiary, 
olive. 

MIXED  GREENS. 

These  being  composed  of  blue  and  yellow  pig- 
ments may  be  employed  to  supply  the  place  of 
simple  greens,  in  various  modes  of  working — 
mixing,  glazing,  or  by  blending  them  in  other  ways, 
and  in  such  proportions  as  to  suit  the  various  hues 
required.  In  compounding  colours,  however,  it 
should  be  borne  in  mind,  that  it  is  all  important 
that  they  agree  chemically,  and  be  nearly  of  the 
same  degree  of  durability,  else  their  hue  may 
change,  and  the  beauty  of  the  work  on  which  they 
are  employed  be  lost ; on  this  account,  it  would 
be  well,  as  we  have  before  intimated,  to  use  simple 
colours,  when  they  can  be  found  to  answer  the  same 
purpose.  See  chrome  green,  cohalt  green,  and  Prussian 
green. 

TERRA  VERT. 

There  are  several  varieties  of  this  native  ochrous 
pigment,  some  of  them  being  of  a bluish  green. 


76 


CHKOMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


while  others  incline  to  a yellowish  green ; the 
former  are  preferred.  They  partake  of  the  general 
character  of  the  ochres,  but  are  rather  more  trans- 
parent ; although  not  bright,  are  very  useful  pig- 
ments, and  are  very  durable,  not  being  affected  by 
strong  light  or  impure  air,  and  combining  with 
other  colours  without  injury.  They  are  rather  the 
best  adapted  for  oil,  in  which  they  dry  well. 

There  are  also  some  green  earths  which  derive 
their  colouring  matter  from  copper ; these  are  not 
true  terra  verts,  and  should  “be  avoided : although 
brighter  than  those  first  named,  they  are  inferior  in 
every  other  quality. 

The  pigment  known  as  Verona  green,  is  very 
similar  to  the  true  terra  vert. 

CHROME  GREEN? 

{Oxide  of  Chromium.') 

The  chrome  greens  of  commerce  (also  known  as 
Brunswick  green,  &c.)  are  compound  greens,  formed 
generally  of  chrome  yellow  and  Prussian  or  other 
blues.  These  are  all  lacking  in  one  important  prop- 
erty— permanency,  to  suit  them  for  the  purposes 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


77 


of  fine  art ; though  well  enough  adapted  for  the 
mechanic  or  useful  arts.  But  the  true  chrome 
green  is  the  pure  oxide  of  chromium,  which  does 
not  give  nor  receive  injury  by  mixture  with  any 
other  pigment  and  is  also  perfectly  durable  under 
every  circumstance  of  sunlight,  impure  air,  or 
sulphuretted  hydrogen.  It  may  be  prepared  of 
various  degrees  of  opacit}'  or  transparency,  so  as 
to  fit  it  for  a body  or  a glazing  colour,  and  it  may 
also  be  varied  a little  in  its  hue,  so  as  to  make  it 
more  or  less  warm  or  cool;  in  colour  it  may  rather 
be  considered  fine  than  brilliant,  affording  quiet 
and  natural  tints,  and  may  be  used  'with  equal 
facility  in  oil  or  water,  in  the  former  of  which  it 
dries  well.  The  depth  and  transparency  of  some 
of  its  varieties  make  it  invaluable  to  the  landscape 
painter,  and  must  give  it  the  preference  over  many 
other  pigments  in  use,  particularly  for  oil  painting; 
and  it  also  affords  a valuable  enamel  colour.  It  is 
to  the  oxide  of  chromium  that  the  emerald  owes 
its  fine  green  colour.  This  pigment  is  distinguished 
from  almost  every  other  green,  in  not  being  solu- 
ble in  acids  or  alkalies  at  ordinary  temperature,  and 
they  therefore  form  tests  for  its  genuineness. 

7* 


78 


CHEOMATIG  HAND-BOOK. 


C OB  ALT  GREEN. 

(Oxides  of  Cobalt  and  Zinc^ 

This  is  a green  which  has  been  but  little  used, 
though  its  merits  would  entitle  it  to  as  high  a 
rank  as  almost  any  in  use  except  that  last  named, 
to  which,  indeed,  it  bears  some  resemblance,  though 
not  quite  so  powerful  in  colour.  It  works  well 
either  in  water  or  oil,  and  in  the  latter  dries 
readily.  Its  habits  are  nearly  the  same  as  those 
of  the  true  cobalt  blues.  This  pigment  is  easily 
tested  by  throwing  a small  quantity  of  it  in  some 
muriatic  or  sulphuric  acid;  if  genuine,  the  green 
colour  is  immediately  destroyed  and  the  solution 
assumes  a slightly  pinkish  tint. 


COPPER  GREEN. 

This  is  the  name  of  a class  rather  than  of  a 
single  pigment,  comprehending  verdigris,  verditer, 
malachite  green,  mineral  green,  Sclieeles’  green,  Vienna 
green,  Schweinfurt  green,  Hungary  green,  emerald  green, 
cinnabar  green,  Brunswick  green,  green  lake,  mountain 
green,  Paris  green,  Saxon  green,  marine  green,  &c. 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


All  these  greens  are  generally  characterized  by 
great  brilliancy  of  colour,  which  well  adapts  them 
for  the  common  purposes  of  industrial  art.  WTien 
used  alone,  and  exposed  to  light  or  pure  air, 
they  last  for  a considerable  time ; but  under  the 
opposite  influences  of  damp  and  impure  /air,  as  well 
as  by  time,  they  blacken ; they  also  injure  many 
other  colours  if  combined  with  them.  Upon  the 
whole,  therefore,  their  employment  in  the  fine  arts 
had  better  be  dispensed  with.  We  will,  however, 
particularize  the  principal  ones,  more  to  caution  the 
artist  against  them  than  to  encourage  their  use. 


VERDIGRIS. 

(Sub-^cetite  of  Copptr.) 

The  distilled  or  crystalized  verdigris,  is  the  kind 
which  has  been  used  for  fine  art,  and  is  probably 
the  least  permanent  of  the  copper  greens ; as  a 
water  colour  it  fades  in  sunlight  as  weU  as  in  pure 
or  impure  air,  but  employed  alone  in  varnish  it 
will  stand  pretty  well  in  pure  air  or  fight,  while 
in  damp  or  impure  it  changes  rapidly ; it  has  an 


80 


CHROMATIC  HAXD-BOOK. 


injurious  effect  upon  many  other  pigments:  it  would, 
therefore,  be  best  to  avoid  it  entirely. 


GREEN  VERDITER. 

This  was  formerly  considerably  used;  but  its 
bad  qualities,  common  to  all  the  copper  greens, 
have  nearly  discarded  it  from  use.  Oreen  hice  is 
another  name  for  the  same  pigment. 


EMERALD  GREEN. 

This  is  one  of  the  most  vivid  and  opaque  cop- 
per greens,  and  as  durable  as  any  of  its  class.  Its 
want  of  modesty  unfits  it  for  representing  many 
objects  in  nature;  but  it  is  very  well  suited  for 
painting  certain  kinds  of  gems  and  brilliant  high- 
toned  greens.  In  water  it  works  with  facility,  but 
with  difficulty  in  oil,  in  which  it  also  dries  badly. 
Its  general  properties  have  already  been  adverted  to. 

The  name  of  this  pigment  is  a misnomer,  as  the 
true  green  of  the  emerald  is  the  oxide  of  chromium, 
which  bears  very  little  resemblance  to  this  in  colour, 
or  any  other  respect. 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


81 


MINERAL  GREEN. 

This  is  another  of  the  numerous  family  of  copper 
greens,  and  is  sometimes  known  by  the  name  of 
green  lake.  It  varies  in  hue,  and  possesses  the 
general  properties  of  the  other  pigments  having  the 
same  base.  Its  liability  to  change  when  combined 
with  other  pigments  or  exposed  to  impure  air,  or 
by  time,  makes  it  ineligible  for  works  of  fine  art. 


MOUNTAIN  GREEN 

{Carbonate  of  Copper) 

Is  a native  green  found  in  copper  mines,  often 
in  thin  strata  associated  with  mountain  blue;  it  does 
not  differ  essentially  from  any  other  copper  green. 
Hungary  green  is  a similar  pigment. 


SCHEELES’  GREEN. 

{Oxides  of  Copper  and  Arsenic^ 

The  name  of  this  is  derived  from  the  discoverer 
of  it,  a distinguished  chemist.  It  is  a very  beauti- 
ful light  and  warm  green,  quite  opaque,  permanent 


82 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


when  used  alone  or  in  tint  with  white  lead ; but, 
cannot  safely  be  employed  with  many  other  pig- 
ments, though  it  is  less  affected  by  damp  and 
sulphuretted  hydrogen  than  the  more  simple  copper 
greens,  nevertheless,  it  cannot  be  considered  an 
eligible  colour.  Schweinfurt  green  and  Vienna  green 
are  pigments  of  the  same  kind. 


'PRUSSIAN  GREEN. 

The  pigments  known  under  this  appellation  are 
various : one  being  an  imperfectly  formed  Prussian 
blue,  in  which  there  is  an  excess  of  yellow  oxide 
of  iron,  or  to  which  some  vegetable  yellow  colouring 
matter  has  been  added,  the  former  of  these  is  about 
equal,  and  the  latter  inferior  to  the  compound  green 
made  with  Prussian  blue  and  yellow  ochre ; but  a 
better  kind  of  Prussian  green  can  be  prepared  by 
precipitating  the  prussiate  of  potash  with  nitrate  of 
cobalt — this  is  seldom  employed  or  sold  in  the  shops, 
perhaps  for  the  reason  that  it  is  more  expensive 
than  some  others. 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


83 


SAP  G-REEN 

Is  the  inspissated  juice  of  various  green  leaves 
or  plants,  and  is  of  a fine  green  colour,  but  a very 
bad  pigment;  it  possesses  no  durability  as  a water 
colour,  and  cannot  be  worked  in  oil. 

In  addition  to  the  before-mentioned,  there  are 
several  compound  greens,  such  as  Hookers’  green  and 
olive  green^  prepared  for  water  colours,  which  do 
not  deserve  any  especial  notice  here. 


putflt. 

This,  the  third  and  last  of  the  secondary  colours, 
is  composed  of  red  and  Uue.  It  forms  when  mixed 
with  the  secondary,  green,  the  tertiary  colour  olive; 
and  with  the  other  secondary,  orange,  it  forms  the 
tertiary  colour  russet 

Purple  pigments  have  the  disadvantage  of  appa- 
rent want  of  durability  and  beauty  of  colour,  arising 


84 


GHKOMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


from  the  neutralizing  power  of  the  yellowness  of 
the  grounds  on  which  they  are  laid,  as  well  as  to 
the  warm  colour  of  light  and  the  tendency  to  yellow 
of  most  vehicles  and  varnishes,  thus  injuring  the 
purity  of  their  colour. 


MIXED  PURPLES. 

In  composing  these  colours,  of  course  any  blue 
and  red  pigments  may  be  employed  which  are  not 
chemically  opposed  to  each  other  and  will  produce 
the  required  hues,  or  they  may  be  combined  either 
by  grinding  them  together,  as  well  as  by  the  va- 
rious modes  adopted  for  producing  other  secondary 
colours ; of  course,  the  more  perfect  the  original 
colours  are,  the  better  will  be  the  purple  formed 
by  them.  Ultramarine  and  rose  madder  lake  will 
form  a beautiful  purple,  which  is  permanent'  in 
every  mode  of  use  and  under  every  influence  to 
which  colours  are  subjected  in  painting.  Cobalt 
blue  may  also  be  used  in  place  of  ultramarine,  but 
the  colour  will  not  be  quite  as  transparent  as  the 
former.  Less  transparent  reds  may  likewise  be  em- 
ployed when  opacity  is  not  objectionable. 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


85 


Enough  has  already  been  said  of  the  fugitive 
carmine,  lakes,  and  blues,  to  need  no  further  cau- 
tion against  their  use  in  compounding  purples. 

GOLD  PURPLE 

{Oxide  of  Gold  and  Tin.') 

This  pigment  has  long  been  known  as  Cassius^ 
purple  and  was  formerly  employed  in  miniature  paint- 
ing, but  since  the  introduction  of  madder  purple,  its 
place  has  been  well  supplied  by  that,  and  is  now 
almost  exclusively  used  in  enamel  painting.  It  is 
not  a bright,  but  a powerful  and  rich  colour,  vary- 
ing somewhat  in  transparency,  and  in  hue,  from  a 
deep  crimson  to  a dark  purple. 


PURPLE  MADDER  LAKE. 

Like  all  the  madder  lakes,  this  varies  in  depth 
according  to  the  quantity  of  colouring  matter  of 
madder  precipitated  with  its  base,  from  a light  and 
bright  to  a most  intense  purple ; and,  as  already 
stated,  by  reason  of  its  superiority  it  has  taken  the 
place  of  the  purple  last  named,  and  also  of  burnt 


86 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


carmine,  formerly  so  mucli  used,  particularly  in 
water  colours.  It  is  transparent  enough  to  be  used 
as  a glazing  colour,  and  may  be  employed  in  oil 
or  water  with  equal  facility  of  working,  drying  as 
well  as  any  of  the  lakes  in  the  former,  and  perfectly 
permanent  alone  or  in  tints,  injuring  no  other  and 
not  being  injured  itself  by  mixing  with  any  other 
pigment.  It  may,  therefore,  be  considered  as  indis- 
pensable as  any  of  the  madder  colours. 


BURNT  CARMINE. 

As  the  name  implies,  this  is  the  ordinary  carmine 
of  cochineal  slightly  charred;  which  since  the  intro- 
duction of  the  madder  colours  has  gradually  grown 
into  disuse ; as,  like  carmine,  it  is  very  fugitive, 
and,  therefore,  not  an  eligible  pigment  for  the  artist. 
A colour  somewhat  similar  and  perfectly  durable, 
may  be  prepared  by  burning  madder  carmine  over 
a lamp  or  gentle  fire,  in  a spoon  or  an  iron  vessel, 
stirring  it  during  the  operation  to  equalize  the  heat, 
until  the  desired  colour  is  produced. 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


87 


PURPLE  OCHRE. 

The  general  properties  of  this  are  very  much  like 
Indian  red^  which  it  resembles,  except  in  being 
darker,  and  more  of  a murrey  colour.  Some  of  the 
natural  ochres,  when  exposed  to  a pretty  strong  heat 
for  a considerable  time,  produce  similar  colours,  and 
it  may  also  be  made  artificially. 


MARS  PURPLE 

Is  an  artificial  ochre  of  very  nearly  the  same  con- 
stitution as  that  last  named,  but  more  powerful  and 
transparent,  and  therefore  preferable  for  many  pur- 
poses. It  may  be  used  in  combination  with  other 
pigments,  like  the  natural  ochres,  as  it  possesses  the 
general  properties  of  them,  though  more  chemically 
active  on  such  pigments  as  are  affected  by  iron. 


88 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


€iUhh 

This  is  the  first  of  the  tertiary  colours,  being  com- 
posed of  the  primaries,  yellow^  red^  and  Uue — yellow 
predominating,  and  blue  being  the  extreme  subordi- 
nate. By  some  it  is  very  improperly  called  brown — 
a kind  of  generic  term  applied  to  nearly  all  broken 
colours. 

Original  pigments  of  this  class  are  not  numerous, 
unless  we  include  several  imperfect  yellows  among 
them,  which  cannot  be  properly  called  citrines.  The 
following  are  considered  the  best  entitled  to  the 
name : — 

CITRINE  LAKE. 

The  lake  to  which  the  above  title  has  been  given, 
is  of  comparatively  late  introduction  into  the  artistic 
world,  although  it  has  been  used  for  many  years  by 
the  person*  to  whom  the  author  is  indebted  for  the 

* Mr.  Thompson,  of  Massachusetts,  a gentleman  who  has 
spent  nearly  a lifetime  in  chemical  researches,  and  the  preparar- 
tion  and  investigation  of  the  properties  of  pigments,  and  whose 
madder  lakes  are  equal  to  the  best  produced  in  Europe. 


CHROMATIC  IIAXD-BOOK. 


89 


first  specimen.  It  is  produced  from  the  bark  of  a 
well-known  tree — the  juglans  jjorcina^  which  is  indi- 
genous to  this  country.  In  colour  it  is  very  similar 
to  the  fugitive  brown  pink,  but  is  more  powerful  and 
deep ; and,  unlike  that,  is  perfectly  durable,  whether 
employed  alone  or  with  other  pigments ; having  been 
submitted  for  years  to  the  severest  tests,  such  as  the 
gases,  light,  shade,  damp,  &c.,  the  reputation  given 
of  it  may  be  depended  upon.  It  works  with  perfect 
freedom  in  every  kind  of  vehicle,  and  its  transparency 
adapts  it  admirably  for  glazing ; and  it  is  far  prefer- 
able in  oil  to  asphaltum,  as  it  does  not  darken  nor 
lose  its  brilliancy  by  time. 


BROWN  PINK. 

Is  a lake  made  from  French  berries,  dying- woods, 
or  the  residuum  of  dying  materials,  and  is  a fine 
transparent  colour,  tending  to  a brown,  but  is  more 
properly  a citrine.  It  possesses  great  depth,  and  works 
well  both  in  water  and  oil ; but,  like  the  lakes  gen- 
erally, dries  badly  in  the  latter.  It  is  very  fugitive 
either  alone  or  with  other  pigments,  and  for  this 

reason,  it  has  been  nearly  discarded  from  use. 

8* 


90 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


BROWN  QUERCITRON  LAKE. 

This  is  sometimes  also  called  brown  pink,  and  as 
might  be  inferred  from  the  name,  is  prepared  from 
the  quercitron  bark,  already  noticed  on  page  44; 
it  works  about  the  same  and  is  rather  more  durable, 
than  the  last,  but,  nevertheless,  does  not  deserve  a 
place  among  permanent  pigments. 

HAZEL  BROWN. 

This  is  a lake  of  modern  introduction — made  from 
the  burr  of  the  well-known  hazel-nut.  In  colour  it 
is  similar  to  brown  pink,  and  works  with  as  much 
freedom,  both  in  oil  and  water,  and  possesses  one 
very  decided  advantage  over  it — that  of  being  more 
permanent.  , 

UMBER. 

Very  few  pigments  have  been  longer  and  more 
generally  used  than  this,  of  which  there  is  some  con- 
siderable variety,  that  which  is  known  as  Turkey 
umber  has  been  most  extensively  employed,  and  is 
a kind  of  natural  ochre,  combined  with  oxide  of 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


91 


manganese;  the  latter  giving  it  the  strong  drying 
quality  which  it  possesses.  It  has  all  the  valuable 
qualities  of  the  ochres,  and  may  be  safely  mixed 
with  every  good  pigment  in  use ; it  has,  however,  a 
slight  tendency  to  become  darker  by  time.  In  its 
working,  it  is  equally  well  adapted  for  oil  or  water, 
and  may  be  used  in  fresco  painting. 


Ivlt03ft. 

This,  the  middle  tertiary  colour,  like  citrine,  is 
formed  by  the  three  primaries — red^  yellow^  and 
blue;  red  being  the  predominating  colour.  Eusset 
is  the  most  important  of  the  tertiaries,  and  many  of 
the  pigments  known  under  the  names  of  reds,  pur- 
ples, &c.,  more  properly  belong  under  this  head ; yet 
there  are  comparatively  few  true  russets,  and  the 
following  list  will  comprehend  them. 


92 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


RUSSET  MADDER  LAKE. 

The  name  of  this  pigment  will  indicate  its  origin. 
It  is  a pure,  rich,  and  transparent  colour;  may  be 
varied  in  hue  from  a true  russet  to  a brownish  pur- 
ple, (usually  known  as  madder  brown,  and  intense 
madder  brown,)  and,  like  the  other  madder  colours, 
is  perfectly  permanent,  under  the  various  influences 
of  light,  impure  air,  damp,  or  mixture  with  other 
pigments;  indeed,  its  utility  makes  it  indispensa- 
ble in  every  mode  of  painting;  in  water  colours,  as 
a local  or  auxiliary  colour,  in  the  glowing  autumnal 
foliage,  or  with  blue,  in  forming  greys  for  skies,  flesh, 
&c.,  nothing  can  equal  it.  In  oil,  it  may  be  employed 
with  equal  advantage.  Its  transparency  fits  it  well 
for  glazing ; but,  like  other  lakes,  it  should  generally 
be  used  with  a dryer. 


PRUSSIATE  OF  COPPER. 

This  is  also  known  under  the  appellation  of  Prus- 
sian hrown^  differing  in  composition  from  Prussian 
blue,  in  having  copper  instead  of  iron  for  its  base. 
It  is  very  rich  and  transparent  in  colour ; but,  being 


CHEOMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


93 


affected  by  light  and  other  pigments,  it  is  unsafe,  and 
has,  wisely,  been  but  little  used,  and  does  not  require 
any  lengthened  notice. 


dI>Uitt. 

This  is  the  last  of  the  tertiary  colours  and  the 
nearest  in  its  approaches  to  shade. 

Like  the  other  tertiaries,  it  is  also  composed  of 
blue,  red,  and  yellow,  the  first  being  the  predomina- 
ting colour. 

Olive  is  usually  a compound  colour,  whether 
used  in  the  fine  or  useful  arts,  and  as  there  are  no 
pigments  of  this  class  produced  by  nature,  and  but 
few  known  iti  commerce,  this  list  must  necessarily  be 
short. 

OLIVE  &REEN. 

The  water-colour  pigment  sold  under  this  name, 
is  a mixed  green,  which  is  generally  used  in  land- 
scape drawings,  sketching,  &c.,  ’and  though  not 


94 


CHEOMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


entirely  permanent,  is  as  eligible  as  the  Prussian 
green. 

BURNT  VERDIGRIS. 

(Oxide  of  Copper.) 

This  is  produced  by  burning  the  ordinary  crystal- 
lized verdigris  sufficiently  to  drive  off  all  the  acid. 
It  is  more  durable  than  verdigris,  and  dries  well 
in  oil ; nevertheless,  like  all  pigments  made  from 
copper,  it  undergoes  the  various  changes  common  to 
all  pigments  having  the  same  metal  for  their  base, 
and  seriously  injures  many  others  when  mixed  with 
them,  it  will,  therefore,  be  well  to  avoid  it  entirely. 


aornran. 

In  the  regular  descent  from  white^  colour  properly 
ceases  with  the  last  class.  Olive  and  the  neutral 
black  would  naturally  terminate  the  series;  but  in 
another  view,  every  coloured  pigment  combines  with 
black,  as  it  exists  in  them,  not  only  deepening  and 


CHKOMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


95 


lowering  them  in  tone,  but  also  defiling  or  changing 
them  in  class;  hence  a new  series  of  colours  arise, 
having  black  for  their  basis,  which  are  divided  into 
three  classes,  and  distinguished  as  hroivn^  marrone, 
and  grey.  Inferior  as  they  are  in  colour,  they  com- 
prehend a great  proportion  of  the  most  permanent 
pigments,  and  may  be  regarded  as  being  to  black 
what  tints  are  to  white,  or  in  other  words,  may  be 
called  black  tints  or  shades. 

Brown  is  frequently  understood  to  include  every 
dark  broken  colour,  but  more  generally  it  is  applied 
to  a very  extensive  class  of  pigments  of  a warm  or 
tawny  hue — such  as  dun,  hazel,  or  auburn — yellow 
usually  predominating  and  forming  a medium  be- 
tween positive  colours  and  neutrals. 

For  the  reasons  already  stated,  the  list  of  pigments 
in  this  class  is  a pretty  long  one,  and  most  of  them 
will  be  found  among  the  following : — 


VANDYKE  BROWN. 

This  pigment  is  as  well  known  as  the  distin- 
guished painter  whose  name  it  bears,  and  is  a kind 
of  bog-earth  or  peat,  of  a rich,  deep,  and  semi-trans- 


96 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


parent  brown,  wliicb  may  be  used  with  equal  advan- 
tage in  both  water  and  oil;  but  owing  to  its  bitu- 
minous nature,  it  dries  slowly  in  the  latter.  Its 
permanency  is  equal  to  the  ochres,  and  it  may  be 
used  safely  in  mixture  with  every  other  durable  pig- 
ment. 

MANGANESE  BROWN 

{Oxide  of  Manganese) 

Is  a deep  brown  of  considerable  body,  which,  in 
oil,  dries  admirably — like  umber ; it  will  be  found  of 
considerable  service  in  lowering  the  tone  of  white, 
without  tinging  it.  It  is  permanent,  and  may  be 
worked  freely  in  every  mode  of  painting. 

CAPPAGH  BROWN. 

A native  brown  bog-earth,  deriving  its  name  from 
the  place  in  Ireland  whence  it  is  brought,  and  of 
much  the  same  nature  as  umber,  though  rather  more 
transparent,  working  well  in  water,  but  in  oil  is  a 
little  disposed  to  run.  There  is  a considerable  variety 
in  the  specimens,  some  being  light  and  opaque,  while 
others  are  quite  transparent  and  suitable  for  glazing, 


CHKOMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


97 


not  unlike  Vandyke  brown,  and  may  be  employed  in 
every  mode  of  painting  in  tbe  same  way  as  the  pre- 
ceding pigment. 

BURNT  UMBER. 

This,  as  may  be  inferred,  is  produced  by  burn- 
ing the  well-known  raw  umber,  which  deepens  and 
changes  it  to  a more  russet  hue ; owing  to  the 
manganese  combined  with  it,  it  forms  a powerful 
dryer  for  oil.  It  possesses  considerable  body,  works 
well,  and  is  durable  in  every  kind  of  vehicle,  but 
has  a slight  tendency  to  darken  by  time. 


CASSEL  EARTH 

Is  a native  pigment  more  transparent  than  the 
last,  but  rather  less  so  than  Vandyke  brown,  form- 
ing a medium  between  the  two,  and  equal  to  either 
of  them  in  facility  of  working  as  well  as  durability, 
whether  in  oil  or  water  colours. 

9 


98 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


OOLOaNE  EARTH. 

The  general  properties  of  this  are  very  similar 
to  the  last,  though  it  is  darker  and  more  neutral 
in  colour;  being  bituminous  it  should  be  used  with 
some  desiccative  agent  when  employed  in  oil,  the 
same  as  Vandyke  brown. 

RUBENS’  BROWN 

Is  a native  ochrous  earth,  in  colour  intermediate 
between  burnt  Sienna  and  Vandyke  brown,  and  a 
very  permanent  and  useful  pigment,  working  well  in 
either  water  or  oil,  and  sufficiently  transparent  for 
glazing.  It  is  supposed  to  be  the  brown  so  much 
used  by  the  old  Flemish  painters — particularly  by 
Kubens — Whence  its  name. 

BROWN  OCHRE. 

This  only  differs  in  colour  from  the  other  ochres, 
and  may  be  employed  like  them ; it  exists  in  abun- 
dance in  nature,  and  can  be  imitated  by  art. 


CHROMATIC  PIAND-BOOK. 


99 


BONE  BROWN. 

As  may  be  inferred  from  the  name,  this  is  made 
from  bone,  by  partially  charring  it,  and  is  of  various 
shades  of  light  and  dark  according  to  the  degree  of 
heat  employed  in  making  it.  It  is  much  used  by 
some  artists,  but  is  not  perfectly  permanent,  the 
lighter  sorts  being  affected  by  strong  light  in  time 
become  greyish,  the  darkest  specimens  are  the  most 
durable,  and  they  are  all  best  adapted  for  oil,  as 
glazing  colours,  but  should  be  used  with  strong 
dryers.  In  water  they  are  not  entirely  ineligible, 
though  bistre  or  sepia  are  better  substitutes  for  them. 


ASPHALTUM. 

This  is  also  known  as  bitumen  and  is  found  native 
in  various  parts  of  the  world,  and  a very  similar 
substance  is  produced  in  the  residuum  of  the  distilla- 
tion of  essential  oils,  as  well  as  in  the  production  of 
gas  from  coal.  It  is  a rich,  glossy,  and  transparent 
brown,  and  its  beauty  has  often  tempted  a too  free 
use  of  it ; as  time  tends  to  darken  it,  care  should 
be  taken  not  to  use  it  in  excess.  It  is  generally 


100 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


employed  in  oil  as  a glazing  colour,  and  for  this 
purpose  is  usually  torrefied  in  spirits  turpentine  and 
then  strong  drying  oil,  and  sometimes  a little  wax 
or  balsam  of  copaiva  is  added  to  it,  by  which  it 
acquires  more  firmness  or  crispness  in  working,  and 
is  prevented  from  cracking,  as  it  is  liable  to,  when 
used  with  spirits  turpentine  alone.  It  may  also  be 
formed  into  a liquid  brown  for  water  colours,  and 
in  this  way  is  preferred  by  some  to  sepia  or  bistre. 
In  every  mode  of  painting  it  may  be  depended 
upon  for  permanency. 

MUMMY, 

As  implied  by  the  name,  is  the  animal  remains 
from  the  catacombs  of  Egypt,  combined  with  the 
resinous  or  bituminous  substances  in  which  the 
bodies  were  embalmed,  the  action  of  time  having 
formed,  by  a slow  chemical  change,  a substance  more 
solid,  and  not  quite  so  transparent,  nor  so  brown 
as  asphaltum.  Its  uses  and  properties  are  somewhat 
the  same  as  the  latter,  but  it  is  less  liable  to  crack, 
and  is  better  adapted  for  flesh  painting,  as  with 
ultramarine  it  forms  some  very  beautiful  and  tender 
greys  and  tints  for- shadows. 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


101 


BISTRE. 

This  rich  and  transparent  citrine  brown  pigment 
is  extracted  from  a watery  infusion  of  the  soot  of 
wood-fires,  which  gives  it  a peculiar  smoky  smell. 
Long  antecedent  to  the  introduction  of  Indian  ink,  it 
was  employed  for  shading  and  tinting  drawings,  and 
still  maintains  its  place  as  one  of  the  most  useful  and 
durable  water  colours.  In  oil  it  does  not  work  well, 
and  dries  with  great  difficulty.  Its  place  is,  there- 
fore, better  supplied  by  other  pigments. 


SEPIA. 

The  sepia,  or  cuttle  fish,  affords  this  dusky  brown 
pigment,  which  was  used  by  the  ancients  as  an  ink, 
and  is  supposed  by  some  to  enter  into  the  composition 
of  the  Indian  ink.  It  is  exclusively  employed  in 
water,  with  which  it  works  and  washes  freely,  com- 
bining cordially  with  other  pigments,  and  is  quite 

permanent.  In  oil  it  neither  dries  nor  works  well. 

9* 


102 


CHEOMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


HYPOOASTANUM  LAKE. 

This  beautiful  and  transparent  brown  lake  is  made 
from  the  burr  of  the  horse-chestnut.  It  is  warmer 
' than  brown  pink ; but,  unlike  the  latter,  is  perfectly 
durable,  both  alone  or  with  other  pigments,  and  works 
well  in  oil  or  water  colours  ; in  the  former,  drying  as 
well  as  lakes  usually  do. 

BROWN  MADDER  LAKE. 

The  only  difference  between  this  and  the  russet 
madder  lake  already  described,  is  in  the  colour — 
which  see. 


BROWN  OF  PRUSSIAN  BLUE. 

The  pigment  to  which  this  name  has  been  given, 
is  made  either  by  lixivating  the  ordinary  Prussian 
blue  with  a strong  alkali,  or  by  calcining  it,  so  as  to 
drive  off  the  prussic  acid.  It  varies  in  colour  (accord- 
ing to  the  quality  of  blue  employed)  about  as  much 
as  Sienna  earth,  which  it  resembles  in  appearance, 
uses,  and  properties. 


CHEOMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


103 


BROWN  INK. 

Many  of  the  old  artists  employed  brown  inks  for 
sketehing — the  same,  it  is  supposed,  as  are  now  used 
for  similar  purposes — generally  solutions  of  bistre 
and  sepia;  and  outlines  made  with  them  are  not 
easily  disturbed  by  subsequent  washings  over  them. 
It  is  searcely  necessary  to  say  that  they  are  perfectly 
durable. 


Maxtmt. 

For  the  purpose  of  carrying  out  the  system  al- 
ready adopted,  we  continue  under  this  head,  the 
second  of  the  semi-neutrals,  composed  of  hlo.ck  and 
red^  the  latter  predominating,  being  a medium  be- 
tween the  warm  semi-neutral,  hrown^  and  cold  semi- 
neutral, grey. 

DARK  INDIAN  RED. 

This  differs  in  no  respect  except  colour,  from  the 
ordinary  Indian  red — which  see. 


104 


CHROMATIC  HAHD-BOOK. 


MARRONE  MADDER  LAKE. 

The  name  usually  given  to  this  pigment  is  intense 
madder  purple^  by  which  title  it  will  be  recognized  in 
the  catalogues  of  artists’  colourmen.  It  is  a lake  of 
very  great  transparency  and  depth,  and  possesses  all 
the  good  qualities  and  permanency  of  the  best  madder 
colours. 


This  is  the  third  and  last  of  the  semi-neutral 
colours,  the  nearest  in  relation  to  black,  and  denotes 
a faint  ashen  colour,  varying  slightly,  and  including 
what  are  termed  blue,  olive,  green,  and  purple -greys, 
and  the  intermediate  hues,  in  all  of  which  hlue 
predominates.  In  this  respect  differing  from  the 
neutral  grey^  formed  by  the  mixture  of  black  and 
white. 

The  pigments  of  this  class  are  few  in  number,  as 
will  be  seen  by  the  list  which  follows;  but  others 
may  be  compounded  readily,  as  required  in  painting. 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


105 


NEUTRAL  TINT. 

Several  mixed  water-colour  pigments  are  prepared 
and  sold  in  England,  under  the  various  titles  of 
Payne’s  grey,  neutral  tint,  &c.,  whicli  are  compounded 
generally  of  sepia  and  indigo,  or  other  blues,  to  which 
the  lakes  are  sometimes  added.  Like  the  tints  known 
as  Harding’s  and  Macpherson’s,  these  are  all  found 
very  useful  and  convenient;  but  the  artist  generally 
prefers  forming  tints  to  suit  his  own  taste,  or  adapted 
to  his  peculiar  mode  of  working;  though,  to  the 
amateur,  who  is  presumed  not  to  have  as  much 
experience  in  the  compounding  of  colours,  they  may 
be  of  service  and  facilitate  his  progress. 


ULTRAMARINE  ASHES. 

This  is  an  inferior  grade  of  ultramarine,  being  the 
recrement  of  the  lapis  lazuli,  from  which  the  liner 
sorts  of  that  beautiful  pigment  have  been  extracted ; 
it  varies  in  colour  from  a pale  blue  to  a dull  grey ; 
and,  although  not  equal  in  strength  or  beauty  to  the 
better  qualities  of  ultramarine,  it  is  nevertheless  ex- 
tremely useful,  and  forms  more  beautiful  and  tender 


106 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


grey  tones  than  any  compound  pigment ; for  the 
pearly  tints  of  flesh,  greys  of  skies,  the  shadows  of 
draperies,  &c.,  it  is  especially  valuable.  Its  general 
character,  as  it  respects  permanency  and  working,  is 
the  same  as  the  ultramarine  of  finer  grades. 

PLUMBAGO. 

Although  this  has  been  long  and  well-known  as 
forming  the  black-lead  pencils,  in  universal  use,  it 
has  been  but  little  employed  as  a pigment,  notwith- 
standing it  forms  some  of  the  purest  and  most 
permanent  greys,  and  may  be  used  with  perfect 
safety  in  every  mode  of  painting  and  in  combina- 
tion with  all  known  pigments. 


This  being  the  opposite  extreme  from  white,  it 
is  considered  the  lowest  in  the  scale,  descending  from 
colours.  In  its  perfect  state  it  should  be  entirely 


CHEOMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


107 


neutral,  as  it  respects  colour;  and  transparent,  or 
destitute  of  reflective  power,  relative  to  light,  being 
the  representative  of  shade  or  depth  in  painting,  as 
white  is  of  light ; there  are  no  black  pigments  an- 
swering to  this  description  perfectly,  those,  there- 
fore, in  use  degrade  all  colours  which  they  deepen, 
and  in  some  measure  neutralize  all  warm  colours, 
but  cold  colours  they  injure  only  very  slightly. 

Black  being  regarded  as  a compound  of  the  three 
primitive  colours,  it  may  be  formed  by  the  direct 
admixture  of  them,  but  nearly  all  the  black  pig- 
ments in  use  are  either  animal  or  vegetable  charcoal ; 
there  are,  however,  a few  natural  blacks,  but  they 
are  generally  opaque.  Pigments  of  this  class  are 
quite  numerous,  and  the  principal  ones  are  as  fol- 
lows : without  going  into  detail,  we  would  remark 
that  they  are  all  permanent. 


IVORY  BLACK. 

The  pigments  usually  sold  under  this  name  are 
occasionally  made  from  ivory,  but  are  more  gen- 
erally produced  from  bones,  by  burning  them  to 
a perfect  charcoal,  and  afterwards  washing  the 


108 


CHROMATIC  HAIS^D-BOOK. 


product;  the  quality  varying  according  to  the  skill 
of  the  preparer.  When  well  made  it  is  a perfect 
black,  durable  under  every  circumstance,  and  work- 
ing equally  well  in  water  or  oil,  but  in  the  latter 
drying  badly,  a quality  common  to  charcoal  blacks 
and  generally  of  all  dark  pigments.  When  too  much 
burned  it  becomes  cindery  and  opaque,  consequently, 
such  specimens  should  be  avoided  in  painting. 


LAMP  BLACK. 

A well-known  carbonaceous  black,  very  fine  in 
texture,  of  great  intensity,  and  equal  in  durability 
to  the  last,  but  quite  opaque.  It  may  be  used  with 
size  or  gum,  like  Indian  ink,  and  works  very  well 
in  oil,  but  it  must  be  remembered  that  it  dries  very 
badly. 

PRANKFORT  BLACK. 

The  lees  of  wine,  from  which  the  tartar  has  been 
pre\’iously  removed  by  washing,  furnishes  this  pig- 
ment, on  burning  in  the  manner  of  ivory  black,  and 
it  is  said  that  the  tendrils  and  twigs  of  the  ^dne  are 
also  used  for  a similar  purpose.  Its  name  denotes 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


109 


the  place  where  it  is  principally  produced ; other 
and  inferior  blacks  are  also  known  under  the  same 
title.  It  is  more  extensively  used  for  copper  and 
steel  plate  printing  than  for  any  other  purpose,  but 
it  is  very  useful  in  painting,  being  more  intense 
than  ivory  black,  and  strong  light  appears  to  deepen 
rather  than  to  fade  it;  the  pure  greys  seen  in  some 
of  the  works  of  the  old  Flemish  painters,  are  attrib- 
uted to  the  use  of  this,  or  some  other  pigment  of  a 
similar  kind  that  prevented  the  discolourment  of  the 
vehicle.  It  may  be  considered  one  of  the  very  best 
pigments  of  its  class. 


BLUE  BLACK. 

Another  charcoal  black  made  from  hard  close- 
grained  wood,  which  may  be  classed  among  the  in- 
ferior qualities  of  the  black  last  named ; it  is  cooler 
and  more  neutral  in  colour,  and  when  mixed  with 
white  has  the  effect  of  preserving  its  purity  like 
Frankfort  black. 

Another  and  superior  blue  black  may  be  pre- 
pared, by  calcining  Prussian  blue  with  the  air  ex- 
cluded, in  the  manner  of  ivory  black ; and  this, 
10 


110 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


unlike  tke  ckarcoal  blacks,  possesses  the  property 
of  drying  well  in  oil,  and  may  be  employed  in  the 
various  modes  of  painting  with  nearly  as  much 
safety  as  the  ochres. 


CORK  BLACK. 

This  is  also  known  under  the  name  of  Spanish 
hlack  and  is  a species  of  charcoal  made  from  cork, 
differing  from  Frankfort  black  in  being  lighter,  softer 
in  texture,  less  intense,  and  more  blue  in  hue. 


MINERAL  BLACK. 

This  is  a native  carbonaceous  pigment,  soft  in 
texture,  more  opaque,  and  greyer  than  ivory  black, 
but  blacker  than  plumbago,  and  without  its  metallic 
lustre,  forming  pure  neutral  tints.  Its  combined 
advantages  of  perfect  durability,  drying  well  in  oil, 
(a  quality  not  common  in  blacks,)  and  opacity, 
adapts  it  well  for  dead  colouring  as  a preparation 
for  black  or  deep  colours,  for  glazing  upon.  It  may 
also  be  used  advantageously  in  water-colour  or  fresco 
painting. 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


Ill 


MANGANESE  BLACK. 

{Per-oxide  of  JManganese.) 

Large  quantities  of  tliis  article  are  used  in 
manufacturing  glass,  to  correct  tlie  green  colour 
produced  by  oxide  of  iron,  and  is  familiarly  known 
as  glass-makers’  soap.  As  a pigment,  it  answers  to 
the  same  character  as  the  preceding,  possessing  great 
body  and  powerful  tinging  properties ; like  umber, 
which  also  contains  manganese,  it  is  one  of  the  most 
powerful  dryers  for  oil  in  use,  and  may  be  well  sub- 
stituted for  oxide  of  lead,  as  it  has  no  chemical  ac- 
tion on  other  pigments. 

BLACK  OCHRE 

Is  a species  of  mineral  black  composed  of  oxide 
of  iron  and  alluvial  clay,  and  like  most  other  ochres 
should  be  thoroughly  'washed  before  it  is  used ; but 
as  better  blacks  can  be  easily  procured,  it  is  seldom 
employed  except  for  the  common  purposes  of  the 
useful  arts. 


112 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


BLACK  CHALK. 

This  is  an  indurated  clay  of  the  texture  of  chalk, 
very  much  like  the  last  preceding.  It  is  seldom  used 
for  a pigment,  its  principal  use  being  for  cutting  into 
crayons  for  sketching  or  drawing.  It  is  found  in 
various  parts  of  the  world,  but  the  Itahan  has  be- 
come the  most  celebrated,  and  by  some  is  preferred 
to  the  artificial  black  crayons,  though  for  rough 
sketching  on  canvass,  where  permanency  is  not 
desired,  charcoal  crayons  made  from  soft  woods, 
such  as  willow,  &c.,  are  considered  the  best,  on 
account  of  the  facility  with  which  the  drawings 
can  be  erased  or  brushed  ofP. 


INDIAN  INK. 

A particular  description  of  this  well-known  water- 
colour pigment  may  be  deemed  unnecessary,  as  its 
uses  and  properties  are  so  well  understood.  In 
quality,  however,  it  varies  considerably ; that  which 
is  the  purest  black,  works  the  most  freely,  and  the 
finest  in  texture,  is  esteemed  the  best.  The  exact 
mode  of  preparing  it  is  not  fully  known,  but  it  may 


C 1 1 1?  O ]\1  A T I C 1 1 A X I)  - ]5  O 0 K. 


113 


be  imitated  very  successfully  by  a mixture  of  fine 
lamp  black  and  sepia,  with  a sufficient  quantity  of 
size  or  gum  to  make  it  work  freely.  The  genuine 
has  a musky  scent.  A similar  pigment  is  made  in 
England,  and  sold  under  the  name  of  British  ink. 


BLACK  LEAD. 

Having  already  spoken  of  this  as  a pigment, 
under  the  head  of  plumbago,  we  now  introduce  it 
here  under  another  and  better-known  title,  to  speak 
of  some  improvements  in  its  application  for  black- 
lead  pencils.  It  is  pretty  generally  known  that  the 
source  from  whence  the  best  is  brought  is  at  Bor- 
rodale,  in  Cumberland,  Eng.,  and  so  great  has  been 
the  demand  for  it  for  many  years,  that  the  mines 
have  been  nearly  exhausted,  and  in  a measure  closed. 
To  supply  tbe  continued  calls  for  it,  attention  was 
directed  to  the  invention  of  some  means  for  purifying 
the  waste  which  had  been  accumulating  for  years, 
and  thrown  aside  as  worthless,  and  resulted  in  the 
discovery  of  a process  by  which  this  refuse  has  been 
freed  from  the  impure  and  earthy  particles  combined 

with  it,  and  compressed  into  a compact  form,  which 
10* 


114 


CHE03IATIC  HAXD-BOOK. 


is  thought  to  be  equal  to  the  natural  lead.  For  the 
discovery  of  the  means  of  accomplishing  this  desid- 
eratum, the  world  of  art  is  indebted  to  the  perse- 
verance and  talents  of  Mr.  Brockedon,  of  London, 
who  has  secured  the  benefits  of  his  invention  by 
patent. 


fnblrH  nf  2pignunts, 

As  the  student,  and  not  unfrequently  the  pro- 
fessional artist,  labours  under  great  disadvantages 
in  the  selection  of  pigments,  by  reason  of  the  want 
of  a requisite  knowledge  of  their  properties  and 
permanency ; to  supply  this  deficiency,  the  following 
tables  have  been  arranged,  and  it  is  thought  they 
will  be  found  exceedingly  useful  and  convenient  to 
refer  to.  Those  in  italics  are  transparent — or 
sufficiently  so  to  be  used  as  glazing  colours;  many 
others  may  be  used  for  the  same  purposes  under 
some  circumstances,  but  are  equally  as  well  adapted 
for  body  colours. 


CHKOMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


115 


TABLE  I 


The  pigments  named  below  may  be  relied  upon 
as  being  but  little,  or  not  at  all,  liable  to  change 
when  exposed  to  light,  oxygen,  or  pure  air,  and  the 
contrary  influences  of  shade,  sulphuretted  hydrogen, 
damp,  or  impure  air,  nor  by  the  action  of  lead  or 
iron,  or  any  pigment  having  those  metals  for  their 
base : — 


WHITE. 


Zinc  White. 


Constant  White. 


YELLOW. 


Yellow  Ochre. 
Oxford  Ochre. 
Roman  Ochre. 
Sienna  Earth, 
Stone  Ochre. 
Brown  Ochre. 


Lemon  Yellow. 
Strontian  Yellow. 
Cadmium  Yellow. 
Platina  Yellow. 
Mars  Yellow. 
Zinc  Yellow. 


116 


CHROMATIC  HAXD-BOOK. 


RED. 

Vermilion. 

Madder  Lake. 

Madder  Carmine. 

Red  Ochre. 

BLUE. 

Ultramarine. 

Blue  Ochre. 

ORANGE. 

Orange  Vermilion. 

Orange  Ochre. 

Mars  Orange. 

GREEN. 

Oxide  of  Chromium.* 
Cobalt  Green. 

PURPLE. 

Gold  Purple. 

Madder  Purple. 


Light  Red. 
Venetian  Red. 
Indian  Red. 
Mars  Red. 


Permanent  Blue. 
Factitious  Ultramarine. 


Burnt  Sienna. 

Burnt  Roman  Ochre. 
Orange  Madder. 


Terra  Vert. 


Purple  Oclire. 
Mars  Purple. 


That  known  as  No.  2 is  semi-transparent. 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


117 


CITRINE,  (fee. 


Brown  Madder  Lake. 
Vandyke  Brown. 

Rubens’  Brown. 

Bistre. 

Raw  Umber. 

Burnt  Umber. 

Cappagh  Brown. 
Manganese  Brown. 
Citrine  Lake. 

GREY. 

Plumbago. 

BLACK. 

Ivory  Black. 

Lamp  Black. 

Frankfort  Black. 

Cork  Black. 


Cassel  Earth. 

Cologne  Earth. 
Asphaltum. 

Mummy. 

Sepia. 

Hypocastanum  Lake. 
Hazel  Brown. 

Mars  Brown. 

Marrone  Madder  Lake. 


Ultramarine  Ashes. 


Peach  Black. 
Mineral  Black. 
Black  Chalk. 
Indian  Ink. 


118 


CHEOMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


TABLE  II. 


The  following  pigments  are  pretty  extensively 
used  and  are  not  at  all,  or  very  little,  changed  by 
light,  oxygen,  and  pure  air;  but  are  materially  in- 
jured by  the  opposite  influences  of  sulphuretted 
hydrogen,  damp,  or  impure  air,  (unless  protected  by 
varnish.)  They  are,  therefore,  less  unexceptionable 
than  the  preceding : — , 


WHITE. 


White  Lead. 
Flake  White. 
Venetian  White. 
Roman  White. 


Silver  White. 
Cremnitz  White. 
London  White. 
Nottingham  White. 


YELLOW. 


Chrome  Yellow. 


Naples  Yellow.* 


* This  pigment,  it  must  be  borne  in  mind,  is  injured  by  iron 
or  ferruginous  pigments. 


CHKOMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


119 


RED. 

Chrome  Red. 


BLUE. 

Cobalt  Blue.  Smalts. 

Royal  Blue. 


ORANGE. 

Orange  Chrome. 

Remarhs.  To  the  above  might  be  added  about 
as  many  more  pigments  which  would  be  affected 
similarly  to  the  above,  and  in  addition,  undergo  other 
changes,  either  alone  or  by  admixture  with  others. 
It  has,  therefore,  been  thought  best  to  omit  nearly 
all  such,  and  it  is  believed  that  a sufficient  number 
can  be  chosen  from  this  and  the  preceding  list  to 
supply  the  wants  of  the  most  fastidious,  and  enable 
the  artist  to  produce  any  desired  effect  or  colour 
within  the  reach  of  art. 


/ 


Sfliirhs  an&  Waxnh^ts. 


As  pigments  are  in  many  cases  essentially  affected 
by  the  materials  employed  in  securing  or  distribu- 
ting them  on  the  grounds  to  which  they  are  applied, 
it  is  almost  as  necessary  that  the  qualities  of  these 
should  be  as  well  understood  as  the  pigments  them- 
selves, they  will,  therefore, — as  intimated  in  our 
preface — form  a part  of  our  labours. 

There  having  been  much  useless  speculation,  and 
a great  deal  of  time  spent  in  researches  after  the 
modes  pursued  by  the  old  masters,  it  is  not  our 
intention  at  this  time  to  enter  into  such  fruitless 
inquiries,  but  shall  adopt  the  experience  of  the  most 
thorough  scientific  and  practical  men,  added  to  our 
own,  and  rest  satisfied  with  that,  believing  it  will 
be  found  perfectly  reliable  authority. 


CHROMATIC  JIAND-BOOK. 


121 


Wa\n 

As  water  appears  to  be  the  most  natural  vehicle 
for  painting  and  was  probably  the  earliest  employed, 
so  it  is  also  the  most  active  and  immediate  in  its 
effects  upon  pigments;  and,  therefore,  all  important 
that  for  this  purpose  distilled  or  filtered  rain-water, 
or  that  which  is  as  pure  as  the  Croton  of  New  York, 
and  Schuylkill  of  Philadelphia,  should  only  be  em- 
ployed: as  impure  or  hard  water  will  curdle  some 
colours  and  prevent  their  washing  and  working 
freely  and  evenly. 

Although  water  is  more  rapid  in  its  chemical 
effects  upon  pigments  than  oil,  nevertheless,  after  it 
dries,  very  little  change  takes  place,  so  that  the  wa- 
ter-colour painter  is  not  annoyed  by  the  variation  of 
colour  or  effect,  bad  drying,  blooming,  and  cracking, 
to  which  the  painter  in  oil  is  subject,  according  to 
his  skill  in  working,  or  knowledge  of  the  qualities 
of  the  pigments  employed  by  him. 

11 


122 


CHKOMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


MUCILAGES. 

A variety  of  mucilaginous  or  gummy  substances 
are  used  for  tbe  purpose  of  imparting  the  requisite 
adhesive  qualities  to  pigments,  to  fix  them  upon  the 
paper  or  grounds  to  which  they  are  applied,  as  well 
as  to  make  them  bear  out  to  the  eye;  the  quantity 
of  vehicle  required  for  this  purpose  varies  according 
to  the  nature  of  the  pigment  employed,  some  pos- 
sessing sufiicient  in  themselves  without  the  addition 
of  any  more,  while  others  require  a considerable 
quantity  to  give  them  the  proper  tenacity ; but  as 
colours  are  usually  sold  already  prepared  for  use, 
any  minute  details  on  this  subject  may  be  considered 
unnecessary,  but  the  following  brief  remarks  about 
the  qualities  of  the  substances  generally  used  for  this 
purpose  will  not  be  found  uninteresting : — 


GUM  ARABIC. 

This  has  been  long  employed  for  forming  cake 
water-colours,  but  on  account  of  its  disposition  to 
crack  in  drying  it  is  not  equally  well  adapted  for 
all  colours  without  some  other  addition  to  give  it 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


123 


tenacity,  and  as  it  appears  to  contain  some  acid,  this 
should  be  neutralized  by  a little  water  of  ammonia, 
which  will  add  to  its  facility  of  working.  When  it 
is  thought  necessary  to  keep  gum  already  dissolved 
for  use,  it  may  be  preserved  by  adding  a few  drops 
of  alcohol  to  it. 


GUM  AMMONIAC. 

The  substance  known  under  this  name  being  a 
gum-resin  is  soluble  in  spirit  as  well  as  water,  in  the 
latter  forming  a milky  solution,  which  dries  trans- 
parent. It  has  many  qualities  which  should  recom- 
mend it  for  water  coloui’s,  as  it  is  very  tenacious, 
works  off  freely,  and  is  well  adapted  for  forming  cakes 
of  colour,  affording  a vehicle  possessing  some  of  the 
advantages  of  both  oil  and  water,  and  may  serve, 
when  glazed  over  the  more  fugitive  colours,  to 
render  them  more  permanent. 


GUM  TRAGAOANTH 

Is  a strong  colourless  gum  not  so  transparent  as 
either  of  the  preceding,  but  of  considerable  use  when 


124 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


colours  are  not  required  to  bear  out  with  gloss,  or 
when  it  is  desirable  to  preserve  the  touch  of  the 
pencil  by  a gelatinous  vehicle  which  will  prevent 
the  flowing  of  the  colours ; a little  borax  added  to 
it  improves  its  working. 


ISINGLASS 

Has  also  been  used  as  a vehicle  for  water  colours 
with  some  success.  The  mode  of  preparing  it  for  that 
purpose  is  by  making  a weak  solution  of  it  so  that 
when  cold  it  will  flow  without  its  gelatinous  quality, 
addiug  to  it  with  a gentle  heat  as  much  gum  arable 
as  it  will  take  up  and  work  freely  when  cold. 

ALBUMEN, 

Or  white  of  egg,  has  been  likewise  recommended 
as  a water-colour  vehicle,  but  it  possesses  no  ad- 
vantages over  those  already  named,  and  is  not  to 
be  preferred  to  them. 


CHKOMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


125 


HONEY. 

In  forming  moist  * water-colours  this  has  been 
employed,  but  has  been  objected  to  on  account  of 
its  disposition  to  fermentation  and  mould,  though 
the  colours  have  the  advantage  of  working  freely, 
and  for  that  reason  are  preferred  for  sketching  from 
nature. 

ANIMAL  GALL 

Was  formerly  employed  for  attaching  the  colours 
to  the  grounds,  when  they  worked  greasy ; this, 
however,  has  been  succeeded  by  borax,  which, 
though  sufficiently  alkaline  to  answer  this  purpose, 
has  no  injurious  effect  upon  the  colours. 


BEES’  WAX. 

Within  the  last  few  years  this  substance  has  been 
used  in  small  quantities  as  an  addition  to  the  mucilage 
employed  in  forming  water  colours  into  cakes,  which 
gives  them  more  richness  and  depth,  at  the  same  time 
they  work  very  freely ; it  must,  therefore,  be  consid- 
ered an  improved  mode  of  preparing  water  colours. 

11* 


126 


CHKOMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


Mtiinmn. 

It  is  supposed  that  in  the  transition  from  painting 
in  water  to  oil  colours,  that  mucilaginous  or  watery 
vehicles  were  used  alternately  with  oleaginous  ones, 
-and  that  some  means  were  used  to  make  them  unite 
with  each  other,  which  has  given  rise  to  the  term 
employed  above.  A vehicle  of  this  kind  has  long 
been  in  use  in  India,  composed  of  lac  made  miscible 
with  water  by  means  of  borax,  which  may  be  used 
alone,  or  it  can  be  added  to  oil  with  which  it  is 
diffusible  and  possesses  the  advantage  of  not  crack- 
ing or  contracting  in  drying,  as  well  as  perfect  per- 
manency. Another  mixture  of  somewhat  similar 
properties,  a few  years  ago,  obtained  considerable 
celebrity  under  the  names  of  Yan  Eyck’s,  silica,  or 
glass  medium,  which  were  mainly  composed  of 
borax,  oil,  and  water,  usually  made  by  grinding  the 
glass  of  borax  (vitrified  borax)  with  poppy  or  nut 
oil,  gradually  adding  thereto  about  the  same  quantity 
of  water;  pictures  painted  with  this  medium  were 
said  to  possess  more  brilliancy  and  transparency  than 
those  executed  in  tlie  usual  way. 


CHKOMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


127 


The  lac  vehicle  above  named  may  also  be  mixed 
with  the  essential  oil  of  turpentine,  with  which  it 
dries  without  skinning,  keeping  its  place,  and  ma- 
king the  colours  stand  up  with  great  firmness,  bear- 
ing out  with  much  force  and  transparency. 

By  means  of  borax  also,  soft  resins  and  wax  may 
with  proper  management  be  mixed  with  water ; these 
mixtures  are  opaque,  but  in  drying,  after  the  water 
evaporates,  are  transparent. 


(S)il  Siliitlia. 

Various  fixed  vegetable  oils  have  been  used  for 
painting  in  oil,  but  the  following  comprise  the  best 
of  them.  All  these  when  used  with  certain  pigments 
require  some  addition  to  render  them  drying,  but 
all  such  desiccating  agents  tend  to  darken  them,  or 
dispose  them  to  acquire  colour  by  time.  It  will, 
therefore,  be  best  to  employ  raw  oil,  when  the  nature 
of  the  pigments  employed  will  admit  of  it. 


128 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


LINSEED  OIL, 

This  is  the  strongest,  most  tenaeious,  and  best 
drying  of  all  the  expressed  vegetable  oils  used  in 
painting,  and  these  properties  are  owing  to  its  com- 
bined resinous,  glutinous,  and  oleaginous  qualities. 
It  retains  its  transparency  while  liquid  in  the 
severest  cold,  being  in  this  respect  more  like  a resin 
than  a fixed  oil;  like  the  former,  also,  it  becomes 
by  long  exposure  perfectly  hard  and  solid  by  com- 
bining with  the  oxygen  of  the  atmosphere.  It  pos- 
sesses, however,  the  disadvantage  of  becoming,  when 
not  exposed  to  the  air,  somewhat  opaque,  and  of  a 
yellowish  colour,  which  darkens  by  time ; it  is, 
therefore,  desirable  to  work  the  colours  mixed  with 
it  as  stiff  as  possible.  Its  natural  colour  is  deeper 
and  more  yellow  than  poppy  or  nut  oils,  but  as  the 
lighter  oils  acquire  nearly  the  same  colour  in  a ‘few 
months  after  they  are  used,  this  temporary  difference 
cannot  be  regarded  as  an  advantage;  still  if  any  ob- 
jection is  made  to  its  colour,  this  is  readily  obviated 
by  bleaching  it,  which  is  easily  done,  but  it  results 
in  no  permanent  advantage,  as  it  regains  colour  as 
quickly  as  the  paler  oils  already  mentioned ; besides 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


129 


this,  the  little  discolourment,  which  even  the  most 
delicate  colours  receive  from  the  unbleached  oil, 
can  form  no  reasonable  objection  to  its  use,  as  many 
of  them,  like  the  whites,  require  some  breaking  down 
or  toning,  to  make  them  accord  with  the  sober  hues 
of  nature,  so  that  upon  the  whole  we  are  irresistibly 
brought  to  the  conclusion,  as  the  best  authors  have 
before  us,  that  pure  linseed  oil  is  the  most  unobjec- 
tionable of  all  the  oils  in  use.  But  this  may  be  im- 
proved, in  its  working  and  drying  qualities,  by  the 
following  process:  procure  a bottle  and  fill  it  about 
half  full  of  water,  add  to  it  half  the  quantity  of  oil, 
and  then  nearly  fill  up  the  remainder  of  the  space 
with  clean  sand  and  coarse  salt,  in  equal  quantities, 
it  should  then  be  shaken  well  several  minutes, 
every  day  for  about  a week,  which  will  cause  the 
impurities  and  mucilage  to  subside  at  the  bottom. 
This  operation  may  be  repeated  several  times,  by 
pouring  off  the  clear  oil  from  the  top  into  another 
vessel,  and  then,  throwing  away  the  sand,  salt,  &c., 
returning  the  oil  to  the  bottle  and  proceeding  as 
before;  and,  lastly,  washing  with  pure  water  alone. 


130 


CHROMATIC  HAXD-BOOK. 


PALE  DRYING  OIL. 

This  is  usuallj  made  bj  macerating  by  a gentle 
heat  any  desired  quantity  of  oil  with  about  one- 
eighth  of  its  weight  of  litharge,  shaking  or  stirring 
the  mixture  frequently  to  aid  its  solution,  after 
which  the  scum  may  be  removed  from  the  top,  and 
then  allowed  to  settle.  Acetate  of  lead  may  be  used 
in  the  same  way  in  place  of  htharge,  and  the  escape 
of  the  acid  from  this  tends  to  bleach  the  oil;  the 
addition  of  some  smalts,  or,  in  the  absence  of  that, 
some  clean  coarse  sand,  will  hasten  its  clearing  by 
subsidence. 

Another  method  of  rendering  oil  desiccative  is 
as  follows : to  a quart  of  oil  add  about  two  of 
water,  in  which  has  been  pre\’iously  dissolved  about 
two  ounces  of  sulphate  of  zinc,  and  boil  the  whole 
gently  until  one-half  the  water  has  been  evaporated, 
then  set  it  aside  for  a week  or  two  until  the  oil 
becomes  perfectly  clear,  when  it  is  fit  for  use ; this 
does  not  form  as  powerful  a dryer  as  the  following, 
but  is  lighter  in  colour,  and  possesses  the  advantage 
over  the  first  and  second  methods,  of  not  injuring 
such  pigments  as  are  affected  by  lead. 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


131 


STRONG  DRYING  OIL. 

This  is  made  by  boiling  linseed  oil  as  directed 
for  pale  drying  oil,  adding  as  much  umber  or  oxide 
of  manganese  as  litharge,*^  if  the  oil  is  at  all  rancid 
or  sour,  as  it  often  is,  a small  portion  of  chalk  will 
assist  its  clearing ; this  will  be  much  darker  in  colour 
than  the  other  drying  oils  already  mentioned,  and, 
therefore,  not  so  well  adapted  for  light  or  delicate 
colours. 

POPPY  OIL. 

This  has  long  been  employed  in  painting  under 
this  name  as  well  as  that  of  oil  of  pinks,  {huile 
d’oeillet,)  but  latterly  has  gone  very  much  out  of  use, 
its  place  having  been  supplied  by  linseed  oil,  which 
is  stronger,  more  tenacious,  and  dries  better,  though 
paler  and  rather  slower  in  changing ; it,  nevertheless, 
ultimately  becomes  nearly  as  dark  as  that  of  linseed. 


* If  the  litharge  be  omitted,  a more  slow  drying  oil  will  be 
formed,  which,  like  that  made  with  sulphate  of  zinc,  will  not 
injure  such  pigments  as  are  affected  by  lead. 


132 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


and,  therefore,  merits  no  preference  on  account  of 
its  lighter  colour. 


NUT  OIL. 

The  kernels  of  various  kinds  of  nuts,  such  as  the 
hazel,  walnut,  almond,  &c.,  furnish  the  oil  known 
under  this  title.  It  generally  possesses  less  of  the 
glutinous  property,  which  gives  the  strength  and 
drying  qualities  to  linseed  oil,  and  in  that  respect, 
more  nearly  approaches  the  nature  of  the  fixed  ani- 
mal oils,  which  never  dry  thoroughly  in  the  raw 
state,  but  the  usual  desiccating  agents  have  nearly 
the  same  effect  upon  it  as  on  the  oils  already  men- 
tioned, and  the  same  objection  applies  to  it  of  be- 
coming as  dark  as  linseed  oil  in  time. 

ESSENTIAL  OIL  OF  TURPENTINE. 

The  uses  and  properties  of  this  essential  oil, 
known  by  the  commercial  name  of  spirits  of  turpen- 
tine, are  so  well  understood,  that  it  is  almost  super- 
fluous to  speak  of  it.  We  will,  therefore,  only  add 
that  it  is  seldom  used  by  the  artist,  except  to  thin 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


133 


his  oil,  in  cleaning  his  brushes  and  paint  slab,  or  as 
a vehicle  in  forming  varnishes. 

OIL  OF  LAVENDER. 

This  is  an  essential  oil  very  much  of  the  nature 
of  the  preceding,  but  is  a,  more  volatile  and  powerful 
solvent,  and  being  more  agreeable  in  smell,  it  is  for 
that  reason  preferred.  It  is  sometimes  used  as  a 
vehicle  for  enamel  painting ; though,  perhaps,  no  bet- 
ter for  that  purpose  than  many  of  the  other  essential 
oils. 


MAC  GILP. 

The  use  of  resinous  substances  with  oil  vehicles 
dates  from  the  earliest  history  of  oil  painting,  but 
was  not  adopted  generally  by  the  old  artists,  which 
accounts  for  the  preservation  of  their  works.  About 
the  end  of  the  last  century,  the  compound  known 
by  the  above  appellation  got  into  vogue  in  Great 
Britain,  and  was  puffed  off  as  a great  discovery ; but, 
the  premature  decay  of  the  works  on  which  it  was 
employed  has  proved  its  inutility,  time  having  the 
effect  of  decomposing  or  separating  the  drying  oil 


134 


CHKOMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


and  mastic  varnish  of  which  it  is  composed,  pro- 
ducing darkness  and  opacity,  and  disposing  it  to 
crumble  off.  Sir  Joshua  Eeynolds  and  other  cotem- 
porary artists  were  much  addicted  to  the  use  of  this 
nostrum,  as  the  ruinous  changes  which  many  of  their 
works  have  undergone,  fully  testifies.  Another  equal- 
ly objectionable  mixture  called  gumtion^  composed 
of  raw  oil,  mastic  varnish,  and  sugar  of  lead,  attained 
some  celebrity  in  England  about  the  same  time. 

When  it  is  desirable  to  have  a vehicle  similar  in 
its  working  to  macgilp,  a superior  preparation  of  this 
kind  is  easily  made  by  mixing  together  about  equal 
parts  of  copal  varnish  and  strong  drying  oil,  with^ 
a gentle  heat,  adding  thereto  about  an  eighth  the 
quantity  of  bleached  bees- wax. 


NAPHTHA. 

This  is  of  two  kinds — one  being  made  from  coal 
and  the  other  from  wood,  but  are  similar  in  their 
properties;  both  being  more  powerful  solvents  than 
the  essential  oils,  and  are  sometimes  used  for  dis- 
solving resins  for  varnishes,  but  they  are  not  suited 
for  vehicles  in  painting. 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


135 


ALCOHOL. 

A particular  description  of  this  is  deemed  un- 
necessary’, as  its  properties  are  generally  known ; its 
principal  use,  in  the  fine  arts,  is  for  forming  spirit 
varnishes,  in  combining  oils  with  resins,  and  in  pro- 
moting the  drying  of  oils  with  pigments.  It  is  also 
employed,  in  conjunction  with  spirits  of  turpentine, 
as  a mixture  for  removing  the  dirt  and  varnish  from 
pictures;  but,  for  this  purpose,  it  should  never  be 
used,  except  with  great  caution  and  by  an  ex- 
perienced hand. 


i^nrnisjiing. 

The  last  operation  to  complete  the  intention  of 
the  artist  is  that  of  varnishing,  which  causes  the 
colours  to  bear  out  with  their  full  force  and  beauty, 
giving  a finish  to  his  work,  securing,  it  from  injury, 
and  in  a measure  protecting  it  from  the  influences 
of  the  atmosphere. 


136 


CHROMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


Experience  lias  proved  tliat  the  pictures  which 
were  painted  with  the  same  vehicle  entirely  throngh 
the  whole  process  have  stood  the  best ; therefore, 
upon  the  same  principle,  in  varnishing  some  regard 
must  be  given  to  the  vehicle  or  material  in  which 
a picture  has  been  painted;  and  we  would  here 
remark,  as  a caution,  that  those  which  have  been 
executed  with  macgilp  or  the  softer  varnishes  are 
very  liable  to  crack  when  the  harder  varnishes,  such 
as  copal,  are  put  upon  them,  owing  to  the  unequal 
contracting  and  expanding  produced  by  warmth, 
and  other  causes. 

The  following  comprise  all  the  varnishes  in  gen- 
eral use,  and  adapted  for  pictures : — 


MASTIC  VARNISH. 

This  has  been  more  extensively  used  than  any 
other  varnish,  and  is  easily  made  by  dissolving  the 
mastic  resin  by  a gentle  heat  in  the  essential  oil  of 
turpentine,  in  the  proportion,  by  weight,  of  one  part 
of  the  former  to  three  of  the  latter.  One  advantage 
of  this  varnish  is,  that  when  perfectly  dry  it  can 
be  rubbed  off  with  the  hand,  thus  the  picture  to 


CHROMATIC  II  A X I)  - R O O K. 


137 


wliicli  it  has  been  applied  can  be  cleaned  very  easily, 
after  it  has  become  dirty  by  time,  and  the  varnish  be 
renewed ; but  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  opera- 
tion of  removing  the  varnish  may  carry  with  it  some 
of  the  glazing  of  the  picture,  so  that  it  must  be  done 
very  cautiously,  and  it  would  always  be  safer  to  let 
a small  portion  of  the  old  varnish  remain  than  to 
run  the  risk  of  injuring  a picture  by  endeavouring 
to  take  it  all  off. 

This  with  drying  oil  forms  the  ordinary  mastic 
maegilp. 

C OPAL  VARNISH. 

When  properly  prepared,  we  consider  this  the 
best  and  most  unobjectionable  varnish  for  jDaintings. 
Owing  to  the  disposition  of  copal  to  contract  in  dry- 
ing and  its  want  of  tenacity,  it  has  a great  tendency 
to  crack,  and  this  cannot  be  prevented  when  spirits 
of  turpentine  is  employed  as  the  principal  menstruum 
for  its  solution;  to  supply  this  deficiency  it  should 
always  be  made  with  drying  oil,  adding  only  tur- 
pentine (spirits)  enough  to  make  it  work  freely : the 
finer  kinds  of  varnishes  made  for  the  outside  of  coach- 
bodies,  is  of  the  kind  described  and  well  adapted 
12^ 


188 


CHEOMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


for  pictures.  The  want  of  due  attention  to  the  prep- 
aration of  this  varnish,  in  the  respect  referred  to, 
has  created  the  prejudice  against  its  use;  but  when 
made  as  directed,  it  is  especially  serviceable  for  the 
first  varnishing,  as,  not  being  dissolved  by  the  essen- 
tial oils,  it  forms  a perfect  protection  to  the  picture 
and  its  glazing,  (which  is  often  removed  in  the 
operation  of  cleaning  when  mastic  varnish  is  used,) 
and  the  softer  varnishes  may  be  applied  over  it 
afterwards  and  cleaned  off  at  pleasure. 

The  ordinary  copal  varnish  made  for  varnishing 
furniture,  is  not  adapted  for  pictures,  as  too  much 
spirits  of  turpentine  is  used  in  its  composition,  and 
generally  its  dark  colour  would  form  another  objec- 
tion to  its  use. 

This  varnish  is  sometimes  employed  as  a vehicle 
for  painting,  and  when  used  throughout  the  work 
it  will  stand  perfectly  ,well,  and  the  colours  bear 
out  with  great  force,  but  it  does  not  work  with  as 
much  freedom  as  oil,  being  a little  cloggy.  It  may 
also  be  formed  into  a macgilp,  as  will  be  noticed 
under  its  appropriate  head. 


CHEOMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


139 


WHITE  LAO  VARNISH. 

The  ordinary  seed  lac  or  shell  lac,  when  deprived 
of  its  colouring  matter  and  dissolved  in  alcohol  pro- 
duces this  varnish,  which  is  quite  colourless  and 
dries  in  a few  minutes  without  being  tacky ; but, 
t unless  it  is  used  in  a very  warm  room,  it  does  not 
become  perfectly  clear  for  several  hours.  It  is  one 
of  the  most  unchangeable  varnishes  known,  and  does 
not  bloom,  chill,  crack,  nor  become  opaque  or  dull 
by  time,  and,  unlike  most  others,  it  is  not  necessary 
to  remove  it  when  once  applied  to  a picture,  though 
it  may  be  done  by  alcohol,  but  not  by  essential  oils. 
A slight  quantity  may  be  mixed  with  oil  colours, 
which  assists  their  drying  and  makes  them  stand 
up  and  work  crisp.  It  will  also  be  found  of  service 
where  it  is  necessary  to  clothe  pigments  with  varnish 
to  prevent  chemical  action  between  them.  When 
applied  to  miniatures  on  ivory  it  gives  them  much 
of  the  force  of  oil  pictures,  and  adds  to  their  dura- 
bility. 


140 


CHEOMATIC  HAND-BOOK. 


OOV7DIE  VARNISH. 

Within  a few  years,  a neAV  resin,  which  is  ex- 
tracted from  the  cowdie-pine  of  New  Zealand  and 
Australia,  has  been  introduced  into  commerce,  and 
quite  extensively  used  in  forming  a varnish  under 
the  above  title,  which  appears  well  adapted  for 
pictures.  It  is  said  to  be  superior  to  mastic  and  as 
easily  and  safely  removed,  but  until  it  has  been 
more  thoroughly  tested  by  time,  we  should  hesitate 
in  recommending  its  use  in  more  unqualified  terms. 


THE  END. 


3nhi 


Albumen 124 

Alcohol 135 

Animal  Gall 125 

Asphaltum 99 

Bee’s  Wax 125 

Black 106 

Blue 109 

Chalk 112 

Cork 110 

Frankfort 108 

Ivory lOl 

Lamp 108 

Lead 113 

Manganese Ill 

Mineral 110 

Ochre Ill 

Bistre 101 

Bitumen 99 

Bleu  de  Cendres  68 

Blue 59 

Antwerp 66 

Armenian 59 

Berlin 66 

Cobalt 64 


Dumont’s 65 

Intense 67 

Mountain 68 

Ochre 69 

Permanent 63 

Powder 65 

Prussian 65 

Royal 65 

Saunders’ 68 

Schweinfurt 69 

Thenard’s 64 

Verditer 68 

Brown 94 

Bone 99 

Cappagh 96 

Hazel 90 

Madder  Lake 102 

Manganese 96 

Ochre 98 

of  Prussian  Blue 102 

Pink 89 

Prussian 92 

Quercitron  Lake 90 

Rubens’ 98 


142 


INDEX. 


Brown,  continued. 

Vandyke 

Carmine 

Burnt 

Madder 

Cassel  Earth 

Ceruse 

Citrine 

Lake 

Cologne  Earth  

English  Pink 

Gall  Stone 

Gamboge  

Extract  of 

Green 

Bice 'IS, 

Brunswick 


Chrome 

Cinnabar 

Cobalt 

Copper 

Emerald 'IS, 

Hooker’s 

Hungary 'IS, 

Lake 

Malachite "IS, 

Marine 

Mineral 'IS, 

Mixed 

Mountain 'IS, 

Olive S3, 

Paris 

Prussian 

Sap 

Saxon  

Scheeles’ 7S, 


Schweinfurt *IS,  82 

Verditer 'IS,  89 

Verona  '16 

Vienna 'IS,  82 

Grey 104 

Gum  Arabic 122 

Ammoniac, 123 

Tragacanth 123 

Gumtion 134 

Honey 125 

Indigo 67 

Ink,  British 113 

Brown 103 

Indian 112 

Iodine  Scarlet 48 

Isinglass 124 

Italian  Earth 32 

Italian  Pink 44 

Jaune  Mineral 27 

Lake 53 

Carminated 56 

Florentine 56 

Hamburgh 56 

Hypocastanum 102 

Indian 57 

Munich 56 

Quercitron 44 

Rose  Madder 53 

Scarlet 55 

Weld 44 

Macgilp 133 

Marrone 103 

Madder  Lake 104 

Mediums 126 

Mucilages 122 

Mummy lOQ 


95 

57 

86 

58 

97 

15 

88 

88 

98 

44 

41 

40 

41 

74 

80 

78 

76 

78 

78 

78 

80 

83 

81 

78 

80 

78 

81 

75 

81 

93 

78 

82 

83 

78 

81 


/ 


INDEX.  143 


Naphtha 

184 

Neutral  Tint 

105 

Ochre,  Brown 

32 

Oxford 

31 

Pale 

32 

Roman 

32 

Stone 

31 

Olive 

93 

Oil,  Lavender,  essential  of. . . 

133 

Linseed 

128 

Nut 

132 

Pale  Drying 

130 

Poppv 

131 

Strong  Drying 

131 

Turpentine,  essential  of. 

132 

Vehicles 

127 

Orange  

70 

Chrome 

72 

Madder  Lake 

74 

Mars 

72 

Mixed 

70 

Ochre 

72 

Orpiment 

73 

Vermilion 

71 

Plumbago 

106 

Purple 

83 

Cassius 

85 

Gold 

86 

Intense  Madder  ....... 

104 

Madder  Lake 

104 

Mars 

87 

Mixed 

84 

Ochre 

87 

Red 

46 

Brown 

62 

Indian 

60 

Dark  Indian 103 

Lead 49 

Light 61 

Mars 62 

Ochre 49 

Spanish 61 

Venetian 61 

Rouge 68 

Royal  Smalts 65 

Russet 91 

Madder  Lake 92 

Sepia 101 

Sienna  Earth,  Raw 33 

Burnt 73 

Sulphate  of  Lead 15,  20 

Tables  of  Pigments 114 

Table  1 116 

Table  II 118 

Terra  Rosa 32 

Vert 75 

Ultramarine 59 

Ashes 105 

French 62 

German 63 

Umber,  Burnt 97 

Raw 90 

V arn  ish.  Copal 137 

Cowdie 140 

Mastic 136 

White  Lac 139 

V amishing 135 

Vehicles  and  Varnishes. . . 120 

Verdigris 79 

Burnt 94 

Vermilion 46 

Water  Vehicles 121 


144 


INDEX. 


White 

Bismuth 

Chalk 

Constant 

Crems  or  Cremnitz. . . 15, 


Flake 15, 

Lead 

London 15, 

Nottingham 15, 

Pearl 

Roman 15, 

Silver 15, 


Tin 

V enetian . 
Vienna  . . 

Zinc 

Yellow 

Antimony- 
Arsenic  . . 


Cadmium 36 

Chinese 36 

Chrome 25 

Indian 42 

King’s 35 

Lake 43 

Lemon 38 

Naples 28 

Madder 40 

Mars 33 

Mineral 35 

Montpellier 2l 

Ochre 29 

Orpiment 34 

Patent 27 

Platina 37 

Queen’s 27 

Strontian 39 

Turner’s 27 


13 

22 

24 

23 

18 

18 

15 

17 

17 

22 

19 

19 

22 

16 

18 

20 

24 

29 

35 


PERMANENT  ARTISTS’  COLOURS, 

Manufactured  by  the  Author  of 
“THE  ARTISTS’  CHROMATIC  HAND  BOOK.” 


It  must  be  evident  to  every  one  who  has  given  the  subject  a 
thought,  that  to  ensure  Paintings  from  change,  it  is  all  important 
that  the  pigments  employed  in  their  production  should  be  of  the 
most  permanent  kind,  and  such  as  have  no  chemical  action  on  each 
other.  With  the  vie-w  of  providing  for  the  wants  of  Artist’s,  in 
this  respect,  the  undersigned  has  devoted  many  years  attention 
to  the  investigation  and  manufacture  of  pigments,  and  having  re- 
ceived a premium  of  a Silver  Medal  from  the  American  Institute 
for  his  productions,  he  feels  confidence  in  assuring  Artists’  and 
Dealers  that  he  can  furnish  them  with -nearly  all  the  chemical  co- 
lours in  use,  in  their  greatest  purity  and  beauty  of  color,  which  he 
will  warrant  in  all  cases  to  be  fully  equal  in  quality  to  any  imported, 
and  at  as  low  a price. 

Among  those  which  he  would  particularly  enumerate,  are  the 
following: — 


Cadmium  Yellow, 
Lemon  Yellow, 
Strontian  Yellow, 
Chrome  Yellow, 


Oxide  of  Chromium, 

Cobalt  Green, 

Mars  Colours  in  Variety:— 
Yellow,  Orange,  Eed,  Purple 


Blue  Ochre,  &/C.,  &/C. 


In  addition  to  which  he  has  the  Agency  of  AMERICAN 
MADDER  LAKES,  which  are  fully  equal — if  not  superior— 
to  the  best  imported,  and  will  be  sold  in  quantities  to  suit  Artists’ 
or  Dealers. 


JOHIV  P.  RmNPR,  49Y  BROARWAY, 

Art-Union  Builuing,  New  York. 


Also,  constantly  for  sale,  as  above,  a variety  of  Artists’  Ma- 
terials, Engravings,  Paintings,  and  other  works  of  Fine  Art. 


1 


K 


